And this thread on rpg.net is an excellent example of how proscriptive moderation can actually allow nastiness to happen.
Mr. Analytical dearly needs someone to tell him to fuck off. Of course he used to post here (his sig on rpg.net notes that he doesn't post here), but probably didn't like the plain speech; over there they have to put up with him and even treat his blather seriously.
His posts display a deep contempt for people in general, and gamers specifically (what he truly feels none can know, I speak only of what he posts). But they're not allowed to return it in kind.
I dunno, sometimes I read people's posts and they have an angry wildness to them, and that's okay, it'll pass and doesn't really mean much - but sometimes I really get the feeling of malice and deep contempt. I don't like that shit. How can a person live their life like that? It's fucked.
Harassing him off the site wasn't enough for you? Now you need to read his posts elsewhere and criticise them?
Anyway, I had dinner with him Tuesday, I didn't notice him living in malice and contempt, he's quite a cheery person actually.
For what it's worth, I agree with his analysis, so please feel free to take me up on any points you take issue with. On this he speaks for me, and I'm happy (in the roleplaying forum) to argue those points (when I have time obviously, I only get here occasionally these days sadly).
On an unrelated note, Pundy is right in this, he does here say stuff to folk's faces and if you talk back there's no penalty for doing so other than any shit he may throw back at you in turn. It's why I post here in a nutshell, no other forum today allows that.