Why the hell is this in Salt mine?

That’s fine and dandy, when a user post there to their own volition. However, in this case it was used to mock someone’s gripe.

I agree, it’s not a constructive post. A better method would be to simply erase the post rather than move it to a place designed for the rest of the users to gang up on in a form of internet mob mentality.

Well, people need to complain sometimes, right? It’s good for mental health. Rather than demand they do it somewhere else entirely, we started the Salt Mine in the original forum so that salty posts could exist without clogging the otherwise civil discussion spaces. It’s a real bummer to see the whole Latest Content feed full of nothing but “nerf this” “matchmaker sucks” “too much lag”… It’s just not helpful at all. Point of trivia, we almost called it the Whine Cellar. Take your pick, I guess. Likewise, /r/ventglory exists for the same reason. We don’t want to kick people out of here for being human, so they get a space to complain (within reason). It was in that spirit that this thread was moved.

What’s your alternative, though?

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To address this, no one’s intent here is to stir up a mob against someone’s salt. I think most folks around here understand that emotions can get the best of people, and sometimes, a post will need to be moved. That’s fine, it happens.

As for flat-out removing content, that tends to anger people much more than simply moving something. Speaking from 2.5 years of VG-moderation experience. It’s also a lot of hassle to delete something, PM the person, have a private convo, and repeat that many times with many people, when really, most folks get the purpose of the Salt Mine. There’s also some value to keeping those posts visible, so other forumers get a sense of what will and won’t get moved.

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Ask someone to edit the post in a constructive way or erase it.

Quite frankly I view the salt mine as nothing more than a means for admins to abusively power trip and consenting users to take admitted butthurt rhetorical dumps in.

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Haha, that’s the primary intent of the salt mine…as well as mockery. You are all bullshiting yourself if you say otherwise.

We’re actually doing that more now, to be honest. Discourse is a much better platform than xenforo, and when posts are reported, they get hidden, to be unhidden upon an edit. So, yeah, I like your idea there, and it’s one of the reasons we picked this software.

As for the value of the Salt Mine in general… I moderate stuff here if it’s over the line, but I’m not a stickler. To me, it’s just better to have a space that non-productive things can go, so they’re not taking up space in the better areas of the forum.

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The salt mine is a sub forum for people to get their jollies off of people’s butthurt.

Stop lying to yourself and others. The salt mine is nothing more than an institutionalized reflection that these forums value mockery and shame.

Well, ok then. I’m not lying to you, that’s just the origin of the Salt Mine and the way I’ve come to see it. I think it’s hyperbolic to say these forums value mockery and shame, and you’re not considering that there are many different people who use this space. They all have differing levels of engagement with the game, attitudes to fellow players, and ability to construct written arguments. We’re trying to set a foundation for a productive space here for all those people. It sounds like you’re saying we should be harder on people and more demanding with the content, tone, and quality of their posts. I think that might be a bad idea.

That said, I do really like the report system here, and I think it’s great for setting community tone. And, really, the goal is to have the community be more involved here through trust levels and incremental moderation rights. So if you have an idea of what should or shouldn’t be allowed, then feel free to report things.

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Then why do people “mock” themselves by posting in the salt mine in the first place?

" because you allow them to "

What would happen if there was no salt mine?

People posting rants ALL OVER THE FORUM.

Why don’t you just delete them?

Because then they’ll complain that forums are tyrannical opressors against freedom of speech.

Salt mine is like the “Purge”. It cleanses other sections by absorbing all negativity.

Now, stop being an ethical crybaby.

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The purpose wasn’t to mock, though you have pushed it into being mocked.

You only feel that way because instead of trying to use this as vent get over it and contact semc about your problem you’re tilting more and lashing out on us

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The inclusion of the salt mine says otherwise…

It was it’s purpose on the old forums and the new.

You dismiss it as not being problem because you are part of the majority group mentally. The salt mine is nothing more than a humiliation tactic for dissenting outside opinions.

Anyone with half a brain can see that, and the fact that you all stringently defend and deny it is comical.

I feel like you’re trolling me. This is not what the Salt Mine has ever been used for. The posts that get moved to here are the ones that feel like rants, where it appears that the OP isn’t interested in discussion, they just want to blow off steam. Maybe you and I have a different interpretation of what that looks like. I’m going to close this discussion though, because it feels like we’re all talking in circles at this point.

If you want to ask questions about the Salt Mine, please ask them in this thread, which is probably what I should have said earlier. Discussion about the forum should go in Forum Stuff. Sorry for derailing…

If you go there, please keep the language civil. Accusing anyone of having half a brain, lying, and bullshitting, or calling someone a crybaby is unnecessary, and there are better ways to make your point. Thanks all.

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