Checks and balances in Moderatorland?

March 16, 2008 9:10 AM

How do mods resolve differences?

Has a moderator ever deleted a post by another moderator? Mods, have you ever thought a post by a fellow moderator was delete-worthy? Has a mod ever undeleted something that was deleted by another mod?

posted by HotPatatta to MetaFilter-Related at 9:10 AM (43 comments total)

We have a basic org structure. Mathowie is the sort of "buck stops here" guy, but if cortex and I feel strongly about deleting/undeleting something and he disagrees, I think in rare cases we've swayed him. There have been a few undeletions along these lines. We've all deleted comments from each other, probably. I think at the end of the day though while we don't play "thin blue line" about it, we trust each others judgment and figure since we're answerable for our own decisions things will work out okay in the end.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:16 AM on March 16, 2008

Do you have staff meetings?
posted by HotPatatta at 9:20 AM on March 16, 2008

Nope, no staff meetings. We do everything in chat or email
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:26 AM on March 16, 2008

Staff meetings, are you serious? We all had lunch together once.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:27 AM on March 16, 2008

Oh wait, once, the day after the mefi party last summer we had lunch and we were like "what should we build into mefi" then everyone started drinking, someone else threw fries in someone's hair, and there was a big fight that cleared out the bar. My notes from the meeting, save the blood and bits of teeth from the barfight, are blank pages.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 9:28 AM on March 16, 2008 [5 favorites]

I remember that meeting. I particularly remember how I was all like "hey this'd be a great feature idea" and Matt was all like "no sux" and then five minutes later Jessamyn was all "hey i just had this feature idea that what do you think" and Matt was all like "yeah that's great" and Paul was all "yeah, so great" and I was all "that was my idea" and she was all like "wevs" and Matt was all "totes, dude" and then Paul started showing off his biceps to Jessamyn and i was all like you know what, fuck this noise, i'm starting my own website.

And that's basically how I ended up with Big Big Question and this scar on my belly
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:34 AM on March 16, 2008 [15 favorites]

Ritual combat based on the Claw-Plagh.
posted by klangklangston at 9:36 AM on March 16, 2008 [3 favorites]

How do mods resolve differences?

Rumbling on the beach with the Rockers.
posted by jonmc at 9:38 AM on March 16, 2008 [14 favorites]

You delete each other's comments? Awesome. I finally know who watches the watchers.
posted by grouse at 9:45 AM on March 16, 2008

How do mods resolve differences?
Two mods enter...
posted by Wolfdog at 9:49 AM on March 16, 2008

I always imagined they settled it like this.
posted by vronsky at 10:01 AM on March 16, 2008 [3 favorites]

Matt, have you ever had to write-up jessamyn or cortex for insubordination, inappropriate behavior in the workplace, missed deadlines, or poor personal hygiene?
posted by HotPatatta at 10:02 AM on March 16, 2008

Cage match. Three walk in, Jessamyn walks out.
posted by SteveTheRed at 10:06 AM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

How do mods resolve differences?

What makes you think there are any differences?

Three hearts, one mind, my friend.
posted by Dave Faris at 10:09 AM on March 16, 2008

You delete each other's comments? Awesome.

Not only do they delete each other's comments, they delete each other's deletion reasons!
posted by timeistight at 10:13 AM on March 16, 2008

Have you ever thought a post by a fellow moderator was delete-worthy?

posted by micayetoca at 10:27 AM on March 16, 2008

How do mods resolve differences?

Games of knifey-spoony.
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:29 AM on March 16, 2008

(also, broadswords in a pit)
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:33 AM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

Rumbling on the beach with the Rockers.

Moderators, come out to play-i-ay!
posted by homunculus at 10:43 AM on March 16, 2008

I got $20 on Jess. She's scrappy, you can see it in the eyes and brass knuckles.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:57 AM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

The magic's long gone, but they've decided to stay together for the kids.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:09 AM on March 16, 2008

I always figured you guys moved into an apartment to live together, work together, and have your lives taped to find out what happens when mods stop being polite and start getting real.
posted by ALongDecember at 11:15 AM on March 16, 2008

I thought the mods all lived together too. But somehow I always envisioned it less like The Real World and more like Three's Company.
posted by grouse at 11:17 AM on March 16, 2008

There was this one time when Matt, Cortex and Jess had a disagreement. I won't tell you how it resolved itself, but ever since that day, Matt has walked with a pronounced limp, and Cortex is unable to say any words with the letter R in it.
posted by Dave Faris at 11:18 AM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I can only think of this Perry Bible strip.
posted by slimepuppy at 11:39 AM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I thought the mods all lived together too.

Lovely lads, and so natural.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:42 AM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

Also, it's St. Patrick's weekend, why the fuck are you people sober?
posted by jonmc at 11:45 AM on March 16, 2008

why the fuck are you people sober?

Drinking dilutes the psychosis meds.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:15 PM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

You say that like it's a bad thing.
posted by jonmc at 1:28 PM on March 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

We're not sober, we're just good at typing drunk.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:40 PM on March 16, 2008

m e 2, grtax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by Dizzy at 4:43 PM on March 16, 2008

Closing one eye is the key.
posted by StephenF at 4:52 PM on March 16, 2008

So I said, it's your Web forum, you get out!
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:29 PM on March 16, 2008

Seriously, what do we have to do to make this reality show a reality?

Send me money.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:37 PM on March 16, 2008

Seriously? You have? For reals?
posted by ottereroticist at 6:39 PM on March 16, 2008

What I mean to say was:

We've all deleted comments from each other, probably.

Seriously? You have? For reals?
posted by ottereroticist at 6:40 PM on March 16, 2008

For the really tough conflicts, they play Scissors, Paper, Rock.
posted by orange swan at 7:05 PM on March 16, 2008

I thought it was rock, paper, scissors. Who knew.
posted by netbros at 7:40 PM on March 16, 2008

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Shhh! The voices in your head will hear me!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:15 PM on March 16, 2008

I always kinda hoped it was like the Village from The Prisoner:

cortex: Who are you?
mathowie: I am No. 2. You are No. 6.
jessamyn: I am not a number, I'm a free man!

So, ya know, unending mind games and emotional manipulation.
posted by cowbellemoo at 9:52 PM on March 16, 2008

There are no differences. There is only the Borg.
posted by loquacious at 11:28 PM on March 16, 2008

How do mods resolve differences?

I have no authority on this subject, but my current theory is as such: A dispute is recognized, it is not resolvable by means of a simple agreement because all parties involved have a vested interest in seeing their way be had.

Matt calls the meeting. A bottle is set and the drinks are poured, one by one they take a shot, upturning the open glass onto the table, this is repeated over and over again, with the knowledge that the last to fall will get their way.

Eventually cortex, despite his Herculean drinking efforts is bested by jessamyn, and as the bar is clearing, and jessamyn is claiming her prize, several German officers walk in asking about a medallion.

This leads to a gunfight and the eventual burning down of the bar. But the, this is what you get for drinking heavily in Nepal.
posted by quin at 9:33 AM on March 17, 2008

The funny part is that the German staff ends up being too tall, whereas the Metafilter staff are of varying heights and haircolor.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:10 AM on March 17, 2008