Oh No! Not Again!

I'm not sure why I wind up needing to post things like this; the bulk of our users are adults - at least by age. Never-the-less I feel compelled to wonder aloud, if you will, about the current conundrum presented to me via a post on the Banjo Hangout. Go ahead, read it.

You know, it started out fairly normal. It looked like a good opportunity for the discussion of the Hangout chat as well as the Banjo Lounge. Then it took a pretty ugly turn - obviously.

One, it's frustrating to have judgment passed on our membership based on a couple of posts, but some folks just can't help but piling on, I guess. It's one thing to have an opinion based on first hand experience, but it's troublesome when folks just make an opinion and state it like it's an obvious truth without having set their "cyber-foot" in either banjo chat. As worrisome as that can be, that's the least of my worries.

The problem is that some people have this notion that I'm supposed to police the text log. That's a mighty big task - and since there's an audio portion of the chat I only get the text. However, it's been suggested that I'm supposed to look at the text and make some sort of "ruling" when someone doesn't behave properly.

Folks, you are adults. I can't, and won't, come running every time one of you gets their feelings hurt. People are people, and whether it's online or "real life" folks are going to say things that wound your sensibilities. I don't operate this chat to rule over you and force all of you to be these cutesy little, well behaved, politically correct, compliant, teacher's pets. I operate the chat as a service, a tool for the exchange of information, a place to have fun.

Right now, I'm very frustrated. As much as I've refused to be drawn into peoples' personal problems there seems to be no end of them. One after another, over and over, I find that almost weekly I'm having to try and smooth over something for someone.

So, what's the fix? I have no clue. I can't sit in the chat 24/7 and be the power-abusive moderator that some of you think I should be. I don't have the time, nor the inclination. So until I change my whole personality makeup and how I deal with people you folks are stuck with learning to deal with each other without a mediator!

I do things the way I do them to the best of my abilities as my conscience dictates. I've made a lot of effort to accept each of you as you are - that includes your quirks and imperfections. It's these differences that make us each unique. I wish that you all would do the same.

What I'd love to yell is, "Grow up! Get over it! Deal with it and shut up!" The truth is, though, I'm left scratching my head wondering how it is I'll still accept, as odd as it may strike me, that some of you need a mediator to step in before you have to deal with problems on your own. I hope you find one.


Frustrated.

-=Jim