Censorship

If staff deletes this, it is a sign that forums is censored due to insecurity and lack of maturity from staff. This post focuses on one instance of censorship, but there are plenty of other cases identical to this one. Since I do not know who deleted my post, this is directed towards all active staff members in-game and on forums. I understand that not all staff are like this, but all staff should read this thread and reflect on how they run the server.

Before I start, I am aware that this thread is inspired because my post got deleted on liz's staff application thread. In that thread, I stated that, as Midnight_Galaxy said, liz is immature. I also mentioned that Midnight's subtitle on forums is "*:・ﾟ✧Hybrid Time Lord Fallen Angel*:・ﾟ✧" and that she has a Black Veil Brides gif as her signature. This is all I stated. I do not have the exact quote of what I said on account that it was deleted, but I promise you that is all I said. I will attempt to write what I said again, and though I cannot guarantee I will get it word for word, I can guarantee that it will have the same effect and points made in the original post:

"As "*:・ﾟ✧Hybrid Time Lord Fallen Angel*:・ﾟ✧" also known as Midnight_Galaxy stated, you are not mature enough to be a staff member. All 8 people are counting on you to teach them the basics of the server that they have been playing on for multiple years. Because of this, and the lack of a Black Veil Brides gif as your signature (refer to Midnight_Galaxy), I'm gonna have to give you a -1.
(+1)"

Let's analyze this. I refer to Midnight by her subtitle, which by all means she should be okay with because she voluntarily picked that subtitle. Then, after making commentary about the small playerbase, I refer to Midnight's signature. She should also be okay with this for the same reason as why she should be okay with me using her subtitle. Now, there is a possible reason as to why she would want this post deleted: She thinks that it paints her as immature. I am not deceiving people or lying in any way in this post, so the only reason why she would look immature is if she is.

I saved the reason I was given for why my post was deleted.

"If you have a problem with staff members, file a staff comment. If you want to provide feedback to an app, do it constructively."

I looked into the staff comment thread in forums, and immediately noticed that I can not view any examples. It also shows that posts are private. If this is the only way that I am able to file a staff complaint, that means that staff complaints are not allowed to be public. I am not allowed to criticize minecraft moderators because they can and will delete criticism.

That's probably why the thread got deleted, but notice how I am given a second reason for why my post was deleted "If you want to provide feedback to an app, do it constructively." This would be a valid reason if it was ever respected.

Let's look at the two most recent staff applications before liz's. For SpongeyStar's staff application, _Peero_ wrote "+1 i love you," and AdrianIsEpic wrote "+1 pls accept." For Vexmae's staff application, Spongeystar wrote "+111111111111111infinity," and payooo wrote "+9infinity and beyond." All four of these comments were never deleted.

The only constructive parts of these comments is that it gives a rating. I also gave a rating at the end of my post, a +1. Granted, I also jokingly gave liz a -1, but it is obviously what it is, a joke. So, since I met the same requirements as these four comments that weren't deleted, the fact that I did not give constructive feedback to an app is not the reason why my thread was deleted.

So, this only leaves one possibility. Staff hate criticism, and staff do not want people to know that they have criticism. Criticism is only allowed when nobody can hear, and will likely not even be acknowledged because there is no reason for them to. The only power that players could have over staff is the ability to communicate. Restricting this leaves us powerless to the staff of the server.

You can argue "it's just a Minecraft server, why are you taking censorship so seriously?" However, this argument is the main reason why I feel so strongly about this. The act of deleting a post on a Minecraft thread (which ironically hints that staff is immature) is restricting my right to communicate to my friends and acquaintances about my beliefs about another person. However, what Midnight did, giving a negative rating (which is especially powerful because she is a Supermod and will probably get her application denied because of it) is restricting liz's fun on the server. So what if she may become inactive soon? There's 21 staff on the server (according to forums), but we never see the majority of them because they are inactive. So what if she's immature? It's a Minecraft server. Liz is 17 and we've known her for years, we all know that she knows better than to abuse her power. What else does she really need at this point?

This a Minecraft server, and a Minecraft server forums thread. There is no need for dictator-like censorship for criticism of authority. I admit that my post was aggressive towards Midnight, but there is no reason for her or any staff member to delete it. Staff are perfectly able to discuss problems instead of deleting them and pretending these problems don't exist. The fact that my post was deleted solved nothing. The reason why I made that post is still there, if not strengthened due to this. This was a failure to censor me. This was a failure to act maturely. This was a failure for the staff team to treat their players with respect.

 

it's literally in the rules that posts on applications have to be constructive towards the application

 

read

 

I'm the one who deleted the post. I thought for a while about whether or not it was worth it, knowing that doing so would create such a thread. But your post was needlessly aggressive.

You say that your post was to critique staff members. You say that "Midnight should be okay with [Silver referring to her subtitle because] she voluntarily picked that subtitle." But your post targeted her, so clearly you were referring to her in a negative manner. You implied that her interests are childish and because she likes them, implied that she is immature as well. But people don't really control what they're interested in. Some love metal, others enjoy K-Pop. There is nothing that makes one intrinsically better or more mature than the other.

But for some reason her interest in Dr. Who (or whatever that subtitle may reference) is deemed by you to be immature. Yet her favorite show is in no way objectively worse than yours. Maybe she doesn't like your choice of show. But she doesn't go out of her way to belittle it. Making fun of people's hobbies or interests, whatever scratches that itch in their head, isn't cool anywhere, and certainly not on a thread that concerns an entirely different person and topic. In short, your comment got removed because it was a personal attack and not any kind of valid criticism.

Now, you may disagree, but I think I am fair at responding to criticism. But criticism must talk about systems and policies, or point out flaws in the previous argument. You saying that "Mid is calling Liz immature but look Mid likes these things that make her immature" is not valid criticism. Outlining why you don't think Liz's alleged immaturity is bad enough to prevent her from being staff would be a good comment. Making specific points about where staff should loosen up would be a good comment. Yours was not.

 

I feel you completely miss the point of everything.

Targeting anyone for whatever reason is not okay, even if they are staff, a community member or someone you randomly met on the street.

Picking fun of people because of their interests, something they have posted etc, is not okay.

With all that said, I don't give a rats ass about what people say about me, go ahead, sure it's hurtful to be picked at but at the end of the day it doesn't matter, you can sit at your keyboard and type random stuff at me all you like but in the end what does that say about you?

We would remove any post which would demean anyone or negatively impact them because it can be harmful to them and to their mental health. Perhaps think about that next time you decide to target people.

 

Is this a joke?

This is the internet. I'd understand if you said something along the lines of "Picking fun of people because of their race, gender, sexual orientation or other factors along those lines is not okay" but you didn't. You have control over what you put on the internet. Everything I put out on this forum as well as on the internet itself I totally expect to a.) come back to me in a professional setting and b.) be used against me in some way. People are at their worst on the internet, we both know this.

You are telling people not to make fun of each other on the internet of all places. If someone has said something stupid (like you did) it deserves to be poked at or made fun of, if someone has an interest that could be made fun of it will be made fun of. It's the internet, it is going to happen. If it really doesn't bother you then you wouldn't go through the trouble to...

Your post was harmful to my intelligence and I lost brain cells. This has a negative effect on my mental health. When are you going to delete it?

 

You say this as if it's some uncontrollable "other".

You make up the internet. Silver does. I do. We are in this small bubble of it that we've claimed for ourselves and we decide in which direction it goes. The internet is not one monogamous thing. There are wholesome and brilliant communities on there that have made me a better and more rounded person. I'd rather that Meep was one of them too. Throwing our arms up in the air and saying "people are going to be bad and we can't do anything about it" is easy. But it's also wrong. We each decide what goes here and how we react to what we see.

 

Fair point, we make up this server. I guess it's defining what "wrong" is. I don't believe it's wrong to poke fun at people for their interests and posts.

 

The main issue that i put forward is that deleting the post solved literally nothing. The staff application already had input from a Supermod, so that along with when Cluelessklutz sees, the decision is effectively made. So, even if I do derail the conversation, there's no need for the conversation to go anymore. What I said also wasn't purely just to make fun of Midnight, either, and it was commentary on liz.

I defended Liz, saying that casual maturity isn't necessary for being a staff member. Liz, midnight, qaz, spongey, ck, and most other staff members are silly people who often just want to have fun. All of them, though, can be serious when they need to be. Of course I don't think midnight is an immature person, I'm just showing that her casual personality is not exactly mature - which is by no means a bad thing. Of course she is allowed to like Black Veil Brides and Doctor Who, I like anime and metal for god's sake.

The main thing I'm trying to convey is that casual maturity and professional maturity are entirely different regards for the server. Everyone can be disruptive at times, it's not like the topic on global is always squeaky clean. The reason why I involved Midnight in this is to show that even Supermods can have an immature side and still be a good and trustworthy staff member. After all, it's just a Minecraft forums thread.

 

I do agree with this completely, yes we all have our little immature sides, there is a significant difference though regarding my reason for -1 on the application, however, that is not any bodies business but staff and liz.

I think perhaps the way your post was worded made it turn out the way it was.

 

hahaha you netflix bum noob smelting clay losseeeer

 

only to be expected when the owner of the server tries to live out his darth vader fantasy in a minecraft server.

oh and this doesn't just apply to not having constructive criticism in your application message. they've been deleting and editing innocent comments of mine on discord and conversation threads. something to get used to if you keep posting comments like this. cluelessklutz doesn't like people who don't lick his boots.

oh woops bye message!

--- Double Post Merged, Mar 17, 2020, Original Post Date: Mar 17, 2020 ---

This is really hypocritical because while you delete harmless, innocent jokes you concurrently 'like' posts like this. In fact your whole profile is flooded with comments like this.

 

This is inaccurate. I was banned off this server to which I was and still am extremely passionate and loyal to. Part of the reason I said that "I quit" (which is referring to me not trying to appeal my ban) was because of staff participating in hypocritical behavior like this. I do not respect people who act like this and have no intention trying to suck up. This does not mean I am not passionate about this server and do not want change for the better for the server. I have been playing this server for a very significant part of my childhood including the most recent years. I care about the server and I would love to play again if the administration on this server stop their hypocritical behavior. It's hard to believe you're commenting on me spending so much time on a place I quit when you actively drive people away like me from the server by editing my comments (basically libel) and saying stuff like this. It's called actually caring. I know that might be hard to understand for an attention-***** like yourself.

 

@GroovyGrevous you weeb go wrestle some men

 

I don't know what "harmless, innocent jokes" you are referring to, but Meznik's post is okay because he is a friend, so I know he isn't trying to demean me in any way, and the context in general isn't negative.

 

Ngl this was me when onis banned me for saying “spam” in /shout