I frequently disagree with Panther, the Dragon’s Mark site owner, about his administrative policies and how he runs his Red Dragon Inn site. Despite our differences, I have a great deal of respect for him; the man has expended a great deal of time, money, and effort to develop a great place for people to roleplay online for free. Panther and his volunteer ’staff’ have jobs and lives outside of the Red Dragon Inn. They’re not on the site 24/7. They don’t get paid for their work at Dragon’s Mark.
However, these points seem to be easily forgotten. Or ignored.
In the last few days, I’ve seen Panther essentially crucified by a group of extremely agitated, dissatisfied individuals. Some of their issues are just ridiculous. Some of their issues are quite valid, too – these are concerns I’ve brought up several times in the past – but the way they are presented is completely toxic.
I have a suggestion for these unhappy people: either use your OWN money and time and experience and friends to host, moderate and administer your own version of Rhydin and/or the Red Dragon Inn or learn how to offer constructive criticism.
Complaining because someone doesn’t like you or because you don’t like someone, their character, or how they roleplay is not constructive. Expressing angst about how one clique is not roleplaying with you is not constructive. Whinging about something that happened years and years ago is not constructive. Witch hunts are not constructive. Personal attacks are definitely not constructive.
If you see a problem, offer what you think is a reasonable solution – sans insult. Please. Does anyone really think that backing up their suggestions with vitriol is the way to get them implemented? What do you want done, how will it work with the current resources, and why should it be done? If you don’t have a solution, what the heck do you hope for other than whipping everyone into a frothing, self-righteous fury about how you’ve been wronged? Just rant about it on your journal and move on with your life already.
On a specific note, I do not believe calling for a ban of someone who is at best a deranged, arrogant, god-moding snot is reasonable or constructive. I don’t think anyone wants bans to be based on subjective complaints. Unfortunately, there’s no rule against god-moding or against being arrogant, deranged, or a snot. If there was, more than half the users of the site would have to be banned.
Before you publicly and rabidly accuse someone of doing wrong, best you make sure that you have never been guilty of that same wrong.
If you throw enough stones, your little glass house will shatter all around you — and you’ll have to find a new place to live.
Agreeeeeed.
I could not have put this better if I had seven cups of coffee, a full nights sleep and all of my best wits about me plus a bajilliondey edits to whatever I was trying to say to make it read better.
There are so many good points brought up by so many good people which get lost, either in their own accidental (or on purpose) vitriol or hanging-on-hate, and I wish that more people would stop it/drop it/or see past.
I wish, too, that I could frikkin form a reasonable counter arguement some times, but I just end up meandering off into something shiny and then it gets off topiDO YOU LIKE WAFFLES?