Diversity among mods

[Bundokji]

I somehow got used to the nick names each moderator use and if they choose to change it, it might feel a bit awkward, at least to me

I joined the forum mainly to learn the Buddha's teachings and to interact with other Buddhists. As a beginner being exposed to many different levels of understanding the teachings though endless chains of topics and discussions that take place, it is easy to get confused sometimes, and the moderators, with their cyber status symbolizing authority are usually taken more seriously, not only in their managerial role of the site, but their input in relation to the teachings.

This is why i hope the moderators will continue to focus on sharing their knowledge of the teachings. I don't see why revealing the real identity is of any value.

[aflatun]

But a brick wall at 100 km doesn't care how many cylinders your engine has, so best not to take ourselves too serious.

The only way to drive, especially in California post 1/1/18

[SDC]

But a brick wall at 100 km doesn't care how many cylinders your engine has, so best not to take ourselves too serious.

The only way to drive, especially in California post 1/1/18

As if I needed a reason to love you more, there you go posting the scene that defined senior year in college for me and a house filled with degenerates.

[aflatun]

As if I needed a reason to love you more, there you go posting the scene that defined senior year in college for me and a house filled with degenerates.

Lmao that sounds amazing . I hope you kept some photos for the children

[Saengnapha]

Please use the real names and photos of the moderators. This should be non negotiable, IMO.

I don't use my name because the internet is full of dangerous people. It has nothing to do with avoiding accountability. Making difficult decisions day after day, having members hold unreasonable grudges against you (forever) for enforcing the rules, etc. puts enough of a stigma to my name. I can't run from that. I can't request a name change. Real name or not I'm still going to have to deal with that aspect of the role as a mod. So I have no idea what you think your suggestion would accomplish.

Sorry to hear you have this view.

[SDC]

Please use the real names and photos of the moderators. This should be non negotiable, IMO.

I don't use my name because the internet is full of dangerous people. It has nothing to do with avoiding accountability. Making difficult decisions day after day, having members hold unreasonable grudges against you (forever) for enforcing the rules, etc. puts enough of a stigma to my name. I can't run from that. I can't request a name change. Real name or not I'm still going to have to deal with that aspect of the role as a mod. So I have no idea what you think your suggestion would accomplish.

Sorry to hear you have this view.

What view? That's the experience of being a moderator. Don't get me wrong, there are many good things too, but unless you've been in this position it is hard for you to understand what endures after an interaction. You are tethered to it just like anywhere else. I still have to face members I've suspended, members I've disagreed with, members who do not like me, members who I may have been unfair to. Do you think that when someone I once suspended sends me a nasty PM or starts arguing with me in a thread that I have any sort of solace just because I don't use my real name? Will they not recognize me tomorrow when they feel like doing it again? Do you think that when I interact with someone who clearly doesn't trust me based on a past interaction that it doesn't make me feel bad that I am partially responsible for that?

Our ability to be consistent and reliable, that is what builds trust around here, not the ability to be caught red handed. Believe me, I've made mistakes as a moderator and I've left those situations feeling just as bad if not worse than if it had occurred offline. I don't want to be Mr Cool Mod, but I do care about being seen as fair. If I want to maintain that reputation and build on it tomorrow, I'll behave as if it were the offline world. I'm curious as to why you assume we do not hold ourselves to any sort of standard and that we somehow have the ability to sit behind these names with no accountability. Because let me tell you, I've been held accountable plenty of times.

I don't know, maybe we are misunderstanding each other here. Who knows...

[Saengnapha]

What view?

I'm talking about the narrative that you construct for yourself based on your experience that allows you to identify with circumstances. Cognizing yourself as someone is a view. Using strategies to 'protect' this someone is the activity of emotional reaction. That is all I am saying and hopefully what each of us is discovering.

[Dhammarakkhito]

diversity for diversity's sake necessitates segregation by such factors as race, gender, and so on
by abandoning these factors, we can diminish their impact
abandon diversity for the sake of unity

i do however support adding asian mod(s). western buddhism... has its limits

[robertk]

here you go: a photo of me in vietnam.
There was a link to a video somewhere too, where I am giving some explanation about the text a monk is chanting.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15952&hilit=sujin&start=1260

[SDC]

What view?

I'm talking about the narrative that you construct for yourself based on your experience that allows you to identify with circumstances. Cognizing yourself as someone is a view. Using strategies to 'protect' this someone is the activity of emotional reaction. That is all I am saying and hopefully what each of us is discovering.

Ah, a psych-Dhamma guy...we would've been pals about 5 years ago.

[binocular]

But a brick wall at 100 km doesn't care how many cylinders your engine has, so best not to take ourselves too serious.

The only way to drive, especially in California post 1/1/18

Reminiscing another Jeff Bridges car crash scene --


from 3.20 onwards

[binocular]

https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.p ... 37#p385437

I regard the input of anonymous users who are unknown to me with only slightly more regard than the ramblings of the town drunk.
/.../
When we know who a person is, what they do, who their teachers are, there is more basis for trust in what they say.

And the rest of the thread ...

However, after having given this more thought, Malcolm and some other Vajrayanists who think similarly about anyonymity as he does, do have a pertinent point: In Vajrayana, the personal is paramount to spiritual practice. Because in Vajrayana, there is so much focus on receiving initiations, empowerments, having a teacher, being an active member of a particular group, etc. that it only makes sense that people come as they are, for real.
Theravada, on the other hand, tends to be quite different, with much less emphasis on initiations etc.

[binocular]

I'm talking about the narrative that you construct for yourself based on your experience that allows you to identify with circumstances. Cognizing yourself as someone is a view. Using strategies to 'protect' this someone is the activity of emotional reaction. That is all I am saying and hopefully what each of us is discovering.

In that case, what does it matter whether someone posts under their real name and appearance or not?

[binocular]

That's the experience of being a moderator.
/.../

I haven't thought that such could be the case.
I suppose the person travelling by horse knows nothing about the troubles of the person travelling on foot; and the person travelling on foot knows nothing about the troubles of the person travelling by horse ...

I'm curious as to why you assume we do not hold ourselves to any sort of standard and that we somehow have the ability to sit behind these names with no accountability.

Because from the perspective of an ordinary poster who occupies a (much) lesser position of power than a moderator, this is what a moderator appears like. Also, the way some moderators have handled things (such as the way they gave out warnings) easily leads to getting the impression that this person is not accountable to anyone and can do as they please. Add to this if in open forums, such a moderator happens to be a big proponent of the no-self doctrine, or interprets the anatta doctrine in a manner of "Just get rid of self-view, and all will be well".

Because let me tell you, I've been held accountable plenty of times.

But what has come of it?

[aflatun]

If anyone is wondering this is a photo of me in real life:

The skinnier one on the left

And I live in North Hollywood on Radford, near the In-and-Out Burger