Posted by Kim on July 2, 2014, 9:09am
I want to introduce you to some community heroes, AKA the RPR moderators: Ben, Copper_Dragon, Darth_Angelus, Loki and SeraphicStar.These people are titans of patience and caring. Let me tell you a little story about how I know that...
In the first weeks of the site being open, I created an anonymously played character profile that contained some mild nudity. Back then, there was no such thing as a maturity tag for gallery images.
After a few months, the plot that character was involved in ended, and I forgot all about that profile.
More than a year later, some time after the maturity tag for gallery images had been added to the site, I received a friendly note from a moderator that my image had been tagged for nudity.
Now I know, first hand, how commonly moderators send these notes out. For a first offense, there's no frustration, no judgements, almost no feeling at all beyond the friendliest of reminders. It is the very definition of No Big Deal, the sort of thing we can all learn from and move on with our lives without a bump. Heck, the note I got was even based on a form letter that I wrote.
And yet for a few minutes after I first opened that letter, I reeled. I started typing explanations and excuses. I was sincerely embarrassed and shaken to have been caught in such an obvious mistake, and at the same time a little bit angry and feeling that it was ridiculous that I should have been corrected for something so mild.
Although I quickly pulled myself together and started to laugh at how silly my reaction had been, this experience gave me insight into what is a daily reality for moderators everywhere; It's human nature to dislike being told that we've done something wrong, and to lash out when we feel embarrassed. A major part of being a moderator is being patient when gentle corrections are met with brief temper-tantrums, even from normally well-behaved and friendly individuals.
With close to 9000 members on the site and more joining every day, the RP Repository's moderation team is busier than ever -- but for the most part, just as invisible as ever, quietly handling problems of all sizes, arbitrating disputes and providing hand-holding for our newest members (and old-hands who realize there is a gap in their RPR knowledge).
You might remember having one of them say hello and offer a helping hand when you introduced yourself to our forum community. You might have received a little note that a mod re-wrote the title of one of your posts to help other people with the same interest find it more easily. You might have participated in one of the great contests or events that they've helped me to run (thanks especially to Loki on this front!)
But I think you would be genuinely surprised to know how much the mod team does to keep the site humming on a day to day basis, because most of the time, good moderation is invisible to the larger community. Problems are usually handled in private to prevent spreading negativity or embarrassing those who made honest mistakes.
Our moderators are volunteers who lend a hand out of love for this community. In return they are fed a steady diet of my undying gratitude, and the constant ire of people who are annoyed to have received any correction, no matter how mild or friendly.
Because of its mostly-private nature, it's extremely rare that people think to thank the moderators for the work that they do. Enforcing community standards can be a thankless job, so much so that it frequently burns out good people.
So July 2nd is Moderator Appreciation Day. If the mods have ever helped you or someone you know, please take a moment today to drop them a private message or send them a kudos!
From me and all of the RPR, heartfelt thanks to Ben, Copper_Dragon, Darth_Angelus, Loki and SeraphicStar.
Post tags: Moderator Appreciation Day
Comments
KatieB
July 2, 2014
6:09pm
Happy Mod Day!
Thank you guys for being so selfless, polite and helpful! We owe you a lot! In most sites moderators don't take their jobs seriously, and just do it for the badge, but here you genuinely care about the community, which makes others care too. And everyone's happy! ♥♥♥ 
I'm so glad you folks have a day of recognition now! You all do so much for us, it's like a full time job without pay. All of those frustrating moments when you want to bash your heads into the keyboard or strangle someone through the computer but instead find a friendly way to do what you must. Those "no question is a stupid question" moments. The tedious bug hunting and squashing. Thank you for all you do!
There's so much love going on right now This is an amazing community.
This is an amazing community.
Happy mod day! You guys are most amazing!!!! Thanks for all your hard work!!
The mods are awesome.
(And I'm sure they already have tons of thank you PMs to get through!)
(And I'm sure they already have tons of thank you PMs to get through!)
Happy Mod Day! Thanks for all you've done.
Thanx so much guys! Have a great day!
Thank you so much for all you do, you're some of the best, most friendly and caring people I have be under the care of. This site is truly spectacular because of all the big (and little) things you do to make it that way. Happy Moderator Appreciation Day!!!
You guys deserve more than just one day c:
I may not be on here much, but I can see the difference you all make in this community, and it is, truthfully, a wonderful place ^^
Thank you!
I may not be on here much, but I can see the difference you all make in this community, and it is, truthfully, a wonderful place ^^
Thank you!
Thanks to all you wonderful, amazing moderators!
yeah you guys are the best and would have baked you a cake but as everyone knows cake is a lie and so are cookies but cookies are a delicious lie just like cake
A friend of a friend of a fiend introduced me to this page. At first I didn't trust him -- who trusts a fiend?
Anyhow, I find this to be the best RP network I've ever visited, and it is all thanks to you mods! Happy mods day.
Without your effort, it wouldn't be possible to discover all the amazing character, groups and ideas people that the media misses of nowadays.
Thanks!
Anyhow, I find this to be the best RP network I've ever visited, and it is all thanks to you mods! Happy mods day.
Without your effort, it wouldn't be possible to discover all the amazing character, groups and ideas people that the media misses of nowadays.
Thanks!
Happy Mod Day! You're doing an amazing job!
Thank you to the wonderful worker bees helping to make this site a happy place! Whenever I tell someone new about RPR I always include you all. I always just have to point out that because of you guys this site maintains a safe and fun environment for everyone! We've all been on other sites that are...lacking and have seen what happens when moderators do not do what they were signing up for. So THANK YOU. If I had the ability to teleport cookies and cake and other deliciously baked things they'd be in front of y'all now!
Happy mod day! all of you earned it.
George
July 2, 2014
6:43pm