Hello all, it is with a heavy heart that I must admit that I have become the drama that I always sought to avoid for this server. In this case, I could easily let sleeping dogs lie, but I’m somewhat exhausted and I don’t really see the point of continuing here if there isn’t some semblance of justice or rational thought to be found. More to the point, if Lemmy continues to display outright hostility and toxicity towards Americans at every turn, there is virtually no chance that this platform will ever develop beyond its current fringe status.
Although this server is based in Canada, I think we probably have a good number of Americans, and also despite recent events I think Canadians and Americans are fairly similar and have historically gotten along quite well with one another. I’m curious if a more diverse array of people will find any value in my actions, or if I’m truly just shouting into the wind. Strap in, because this is gonna be a long one.
This all started yesterday when @DankOfAmerica@reddthat.com made a post to AskLemmy. The original post read as follows.
I responded here. I had indeed noticed the constant derisive comments regarding Americans, although I didn’t agree with the assumption that such comments were made by Russian/Chinese agents, and stated as much.
In my view, the responses to both OP and myself in that thread constitute clear evidence that at least one of our assumptions was true. In response to being called out on their hateful behavior, a number of users proceeded to double down, attempting to gaslight myself and OP and even suggesting that we were actually the Russian spies 🕵️♂️
Several hours later, one of our users decided to make a post “exposing” my behavior on !yepowertrippinbastards@lemmy.dbzer0.com. Despite the fact that I hadn’t utilized any moderator powers during this saga, he found my words to be offensive enough to post on said community. The post was eventually removed because it was unsuitable for the community, but not before I had replied in defense of myself. This was unfortunate, although understandable, because I felt that my response was something that Lemmy users could benefit from hearing.
I made this post because I want my fellow sh.itjust.works users to judge whether my actions and thoughts were reasonable, and I also want to expose this individual for what they are. My first option was !fediverselore@lemmy.ca, but it’s not allowed to post drama that you’re involved in. Also, I’m not really looking for the opinions of people who subscribe to drama communities on Lemmy, but rather the opinions of the average sh.itjust.works user. So here’s the screenshot of the removed post.
Here’s my reply.
It’ll probably be easier reading if you go to my profile and/or his profile. Although the post was deleted, the comments should still appear in our profiles.
To summarize, this user bullied a brand new user into deleting their account, responding to an innocent, highly upvoted meme with this comment
He let’s me freely hang out at his nice place full of amenities so I can’t badmouth him
Lmfao, no, you can, you just like the taste of boot, and the benefits he gives you (that he only has because he exploits people like you) too much to.
Also, those last two points in the meme, as well as this being your only post on a new account strongly suggest that this is a troll, or at the very least, a really sad LARP, rather than observations made by someone who has ever spent any time at all with any actual rich people.
Two days later, he decided to call me out for mod abuse, despite the fact that I hadn’t removed a single comment of his. Now he’s decided to move over to lemmy.dbzer0.com, thank goodness.
But overall, aside from the specifics of this drama, I also want y’all to render judgment on whether or not Lemmy tends to exhibit a toxic attitude towards Americans. Notice that I said Americans, not America. I don’t give a shit if people criticize and blatantly shit on America for the decisions that our government makes. But it’s far too often that Lemmy users go beyond that line and decide to hurl personal insults towards Americans, often in completely non-political communities. I’ve always had thick skin and an open mind, so if I’m getting annoyed by it, my assumption is that most other Americans will find it intolerable. And although we don’t need to be a majority American site by any means, the sheer numbers dictate that if Americans find this site intolerable, it will never achieve mainstream success.
And if I hear one more fucking person say that America only joined World War 2 after it was already over, or that we were cowards for not joining sooner, I swear to God I’ma start criticizing the metric system again 😂
Can we have new drama please?
I might post about the hexbear reaction to this post later. It was amusing to say the least. But I would post that to !meanwhileongrad, this has already been plenty of drama for the main community.
Overall, I think that any mod or admin should use another account to post personal takes. Use the moderator account only for meration and post any personal takes on a personal account.
In general, I agree, but I’m concerned with the prevalence of vote manipulation and shithousing on this site, and I feel like my past track record on this account is one of the only ways for me to protect myself from the constant baseless accusations of being a Russian shill, being a right winger, etc.
I feel that someone needs to be able to counter the increasing tendency towards absolute ideological purity that is strangling this platform, and if people don’t know me from a hole in the wall, it’ll be that much easier to discredit me when I try to criticize the circlejerking that goes on here.
In other words, I’m a human being, and I have opinions, and I’m flawed. But that doesn’t mean I can’t or don’t try my best to act objectively and in the best interests of the server when I’m performing my admin duties. That’s reality, and hiding behind alt accounts just to pretend that I’m a pure paragon of justice on my admin account isn’t really my style, and I don’t really see how it would benefit anyone.
Dude, you rock. Don’t even bow down to the negs that you are getting. You legit stood up for me even though you don’t agree with me. That’s an admirable, and increasingly rare, trait.
I’m American, and apparently very annoying to some, so I get my fair shair of hate. But at least when it’s thrown my way, I get that some people think I’m a dick.
But you have always been a straight up, no bullshit kind of guy. Honestly we need more admins like you.
You’re one of the reason that this instance is the best instance on Lemmy.
I look at a lot of your measured responses and always tell myself that I should respond to people that way. But I never do, cuz I also devolve and always end up saying shit like, “You keep crying. I’ll keep posting. Please block me if you don’t like me.” lmao
Stay strong, brother!
I look at a lot of your measured responses and always tell myself that I should respond to people that way. But I never do, cuz I also devolve and always end up saying shit like, “You keep crying. I’ll keep posting. Please block me if you don’t like me.” lmao
Quoting this for posterity.
I don’t think its Europeans being jealous but instead that Lemmy attracts the kind of Users who are more anti western/capitalistic (and the US is literally the definition of capitalism) and also users being dickheads about it. Just because Americans have to live and participate in a system that’s quite shit, that doesn’t mean that they are directly responsible for it and I think that this is something a lot of people forget.
I’ve almost stopped using Lemmy because of the kind of content you’re describing. I’ve never even told anyone I use Lemmy because I don’t want them to judge me by association. The politics on here is extremist, hateful, divisive, and non-fucking-stop.
I disagree that it’s not CCP/Kremlin bots and shills. I think a LOT of it is. Without ongoing support from those malicious authoritarian governments, Lemmy.ml, lemmygrad, and Hexbear would have half the content and engagement.
Have you tried blocking political and news communities? That helps to reduce this kind of content
I’ve intentionally left it unblocked because I want to do my part to make the fediverse succeed. But at this point that might be the best approach. I’ll probably do that or just leave.
For what it’s worth, I’ve always appreciated your positive and helpful contributions here. If Lemmy was full of users like you it would be fantastic.
You got a point, it is difficult to sort out the bots from the tankies when it comes to international political content here or on lemmy.world. I don’t want to yell at tankies any more, they are real humans who are literally earning their bread.
Yeah I don’t want to yell at tankies either. They’re generally trying to do the right thing, but unfortunately a combination of ignorance and arrogance means they’re causing harm instead.
But the paid shills, fuck them. I hope they die in a drone attack as Ukrainians defend themselves from the sociopaths in the Kremlin.
Yeah it’s bad, so bad that even trying to call it out gets you attacked. I definitely agree that there could be shills, but surely there have to be more real users than shills? In which case we just have to make sure that the real users don’t fall victim to the divisive tactics of the shills. I haven’t given up yet, I’m a stubborn bastard.
Agreed, seems there are more real users than shills/bots, and I try to avoid fighting them. If you take a little time and tag users you suspect of spreading misinformation, it gets pretty easy to identify the frequent offenders pushing Kremlin/CCP talking points.
I can’t think of anything more american than complaining about anti-american bias while accusing everyone else of just being jealous
Thank God, they bought it - Russian agent imaqtpie
Notice that I said Americans, not America
I don’t see any crticism of Americans on here, though I could not read your fine print, and I need to preface the rest of what I will say with I want the best for Americans.
And if I hear one more fucking person say that America only joined World War 2 after it was already over
That is an act that America did, and it was definitely motivated by ensuring control over Germany instead of USSR. No Americans were offered the freedom to not storm Normandy. Your lead comment of “Chinese/Russian agents” behind your angst is also something America would say.
That Americans/Westoids trust America in its justification for war on Russia and future war on China, that they trust America after an election where both parties conspired to elect Netanyahu’s favorite for genocide, is a problem Americans are too powerless to stop. A defining characteristic of Americans/westoids is being misinformed as a result of their trust of, and identity wrapped up in an evil America.
There is a strong likelihood that what you perceive as toxicity to Americans is toxicity towards those defending their trust of America.
I still prefer SJW to any other instance, because of threads just like this, afascinating discussion regardless of the foaming at the mouth replies about temporary political trends, like who’s president. I’ve found much more of anti-religious bias at SJW over the years. I just assume that the poster or commenter is either very young or very old and move on with my day. The young will grow up and lose their suspicions by gaining life experience and meeting those practicing different faiths. However, I don’t care about insults/bitterness towards fellow Americans.
I still prefer SJW to any other instance
o_O I hadn’t noticed that acronym before now.
Can’t go back now. Sorry, yo
Too online. No comments against Americans actually matter, none of this matters
That’s a shame, OP, you always seem like a pretty collected and calm voice, it’s disappointing to hear you’re a dang dirty fed/commie/fascist/Russian/Chinese/Soros/Thiel agent.
Neighbor: “He seemed so normal…” Background is full of barbie dolls hanging from the porch, the azaleas…
Nooo, not the Barbies 🥺
Oh, look who’s back! I thought you had left for good, that might have been part of why I’ve been so depressive lately 😅
Ha, I just retired from modding NCD, you’ll never be rid of me. In the immortal words of Baby Cookie, “I live inna walls, u gonna hafta get me out with a priest!”
Well this is awkward, I was actually talking to Margot… 😅. But I would be equally depressed if you were to leave, verity. Obligatory shout out to @Cracks_InTheWalls, another one of my favorites.
It’s nice to have funny and kind people on Lemmy. The battle for levity is never-ending, and more brave soldiers fall to misery with each passing day. But a well placed shitpost can usually revive our fallen comrades.
Wait, you’re American?! Get outta here, you non-hoser! blocked
Kidding, of course - you’re one of my favourites too. Think you could’ve chosen your words more carefully in the OP exchange - jealousy is a bit of a trigger word, it’s more that the U.S.’ reputation internationally is … sketchy, even before the last periods of particular sketchiness. But some people just expand this to all individual Americans, which isn’t fair - most Americans I’ve met are just normal people just as bewildered as the rest of us are at the state of the world (and the U.S’ place in it).
Edit - story to illustrate my point. There’s a psych band from the U.S. that did a show here not too long ago. Started off by saying “We’re [band name I’ve forgotten] from the U.S.A.”. There was silence, then a few low-key, almost confused sounding 'woo’s. The lead then said “Woo? Hell, I wouldn’t woo at that right now.”
Feel this sentiment isn’t that uncommon.
Yeah jealousy was not the best word to use. And also it’s understandable that people don’t want to cheer on the US or Americans at all.
But on the other hand, the change that we are all looking for is going to have to ultimately come from Americans on some level. There isn’t any plausible way that another nation can violate the geopolitical status quo in a major way without the US leveraging its economic and military power to prevent things from being disrupted. That’s been proven many times by all of the interventions the US has done towards communist states and parties all around the world. Any kind of revolutionary political or economic movement in another country is likely to get sabotaged by American espionage, military force, or economic sanctions.
So at the end of the day, acting all angry towards Americans just reinforces the current system, because it causes people to dig in their heels and change from a progressive mindset to a defensive one. You need to have Americans on the inside to effect change, and Lemmings are the type of Americans who are already walking that path, only to get shoved off the path by tankies and others who continually abuse them, until they get sick of it and return to the corporate internet, where they can at least feel some superficial validation. In an ideal world, people wouldn’t be so weak-minded, but they are, and we need to understand that if we are interested in changing their opinions, and ultimately the changing the nature of the government that they allow to exist.
Word. Powerful message I’d like to see pinned everywhere at this time of year. Might help a user to put off doing something drastic for another day. Of course, I’d give such a message a Christian spin and ruin it. XD
I’m an American. I’m not one of the “good” Americans, though, since I’m disabled, not Christian, not capitalist, and not white. I’ve spent my whole life getting shit on as a third-class citizen by Americans steeped in American culture and public school education that has, at every turn, preached American exceptionalism and pulling oneself up by their bootstraps while totally ignoring every benefit offered to them and withheld from people like me.
I think that you’ve been lucky so far, but now that you’re being asked to sit the fuck down and listen while other people talk, you’re taking it badly. After a lifetime of privilege, it’s really easy to mistake being brought into line with everybody else’s equality for oppression; please don’t do that. It’s a bad look and sets you up to feel bad unnecessarily.
There are like 8 billion people on this planet and you’re one of about 330 million Americans. It’s pretty reasonable that your perspective isn’t the majority opinion, and that other people from other countries may also think their home is the best possible place to live and everyone else is an unlucky chump. Instead of dismissing all the critical comments as the kvetching of the jealous, unwashed masses outside your borders, it may help to look at them as nothing more than other people sharing their own viewpoints. Also, reading about events like Juneteenth, the MOVE bombing, the Kent State massacre, the Jackson State killings, and the Tulsa massacre may help you better understand why people from other places side eye Americans.
And seriously, the metric system is based on the physical properties of Earth and base 10 counting, not dead oppressors.
the metric system is based on the physical properties of Earth
Not really. Official units are defined in that kind of way (a metre used to be a certain fraction of the circumference of the Earth, though it’s now a certain amount of time travelled at light speed), but the definitions are arbitrary and used to justify defining the base unit how we want it. Metric’s superiority has nothing to do with metres being better than yards or kilogrammes being better than pounds. It’s this part:
and base 10 counting
As well as the fact that derived units all fit together nicely.
Woosh
America isn’t a true democracy. There’s gerrymandering, and electoral college, and first past the post. But it used to have one little bit of democracy left at the federal level. And then America voted for Trump.
Kamala didn’t even get the popular vote. Because Americans didn’t think it was worth trying to win that like they did in 2016. The popular vote is the bragging rights to say the government doesn’t represent the people, and Americans didn’t want it.
So, Americans chose to be thought of by the world as fascists. Not all of them, but most of them didn’t get up and choose otherwise. Few enough said no, that more were able to say yes. The default American image is a fascist. Nobody should be beholden to a default image, but that is the starting point. The mode average.
That’s actually reassuring to hear, coming from you.
You’re welcome ^-^
And all the bigoted right wing European governments are what?
All the unelected head of states in Europe are democratic?
You’re right, monarchs aren’t democratic. Which means, monarchs have no claim to represent the will of the people. The English have no choice in who King Charles is, so he doesn’t reflect on them. The Americans had a choice in Trump and they decided they wanted him over Kamala. So he’s reflective of who they are.
Monarchs are still popular enough to keep their symbolic role, otherwise they would have been disposed.
The topic regularly comes up in the UK, Belgium, Spain, Denmark etc. The usual consensus in those countries is that the monarchy brings some stability between the governments. Also, when you look at the French and the lifetime salaries and benefits they pay their former presidents, republics are not automatically that much cheaper.
Monarchs are still popular enough to keep their symbolic role, otherwise they would have been disposed.
Not necessarily. This just means that the issue of the monarchy isn’t important enough to most people to start a violent revolution over it or make it their main issue to vote on (if there even are parties making it part of their agenda to remove the monarchy).
A big part of the issue is: what do you replace it with, if you remove the monarch?
It’s an issue that comes up a lot here in Australia, where not only do we have a monarch; we have a monarch who isn’t from this country and does not care for this country. You’d think getting rid of the monarch would be a no brainer. But what do we do instead?
Most politically-aware Australians look at America and decide quite clearly: a directly elected President with significant political powers is a bad idea. The Parliamentary system is a good one. But would that mean directly electing a Governor-General who keeps the powers that role has today? As we saw in 1975, that’s actually quite considerable power, kept in check today mainly because it is extremely unpopular and is seen as undemocratic due to the unelected nature of the role to use those powers too freely. But it doesn’t exactly feel right to some people (myself not included) to keep the current system, only change it from “Monarch appoints a Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister” to “Prime Minister appoints a Governor General”. That makes it feel to some to be more politicised. Appointment by 2/3rds majority of Parliament could also work.
There are some who genuinely would like an American system, too, of course.
The difficulty is in getting people to agree not just to make a change, but on what that change should look like. Most Australians are very conservative, in the sense of “it seems to work, let’s not risk it by changing it.”
I’ve also seen some people suggest moving to an Australian monarch. The Irwin family has been suggested, or the Warnes, given how iconicly Australian Steve Irwin and Shane Warne were. Personally, I like to jokingly say we should go with the Abney-Hastings, the male-preference primogeniture descendants of the Plantaginet line of British monarchs, who would be on the British throne today were claims that Edward IV was illegitimate to have been taken seriously at the time. And who currently reside in rural Victoria.
The difficulty is in getting people to agree not just to make a change, but on what that change should look like.
This is certainly a component in most political decisions favoring the status quo too, that is a good point. By definition there is only one status quo but many options for alternatives that might not each have a majority of its own even if the sum of their proponents might be larger than the people actually favoring the status quo itself.
And all the bigoted right wing European governments are what?
Which ones? At the moment I only see Italy and Hungary.
France’s far-right can’t come to power as the other two third of the Parliament is Left and Center blocks.
UK is labour: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premiership_of_Keir_Starmer
The Dutch are in a coalition with the Centrists and the Farmers: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schoof_cabinet
Germany has to vote again in February: https://feddit.org/post/6479021?scrollToComments=true
Even Austria has a Centrist government: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehammer_government
The European Parliament 2 first groups are Center-Right and Left: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenth_European_Parliament
All the unelected head of states in Europe are democratic?
Which ones? The kings and queens who have no political powers, or the prime ministers who come from the party with the most votes?
Unelected heads of state is clear. I did not say heads of government.
History shows us that racism is to Europe as fish to the sea.
Unelected heads of state is clear.
So the kings and queens who hold no political power?
History shows us that racism is to Europe as fish to the sea.
Racism was everywhere during human history.
No sir, that is a lie.
Modern racism is very much rooted in European pseudo-scientific bullshit.
And those kings and queens very much hold power, unofficially, off the books. It’s called corruption when it happens elsewhere but as we know Europeans are too pure and righteous to engage in corruption (at home), they only do it abroad when lobbying for contracts illegally.
Modern racism is very much rooted in European pseudo-scientific bullshit.
Feel free to provide sources.
And those kings and queens very much hold power, unofficially, off the books.
When that happens, the king abdicates. Happened in Spain not too long ago https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdication_of_Juan_Carlos_I
It’s called corruption when it happens elsewhere but as we know Europeans are too pure and righteous to engage in corruption (at home), they only do it abroad when lobbying for contracts illegally.
Oh, don’t worry, we have plenty of corruption at home too: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar_corruption_scandal_at_the_European_Parliament
The one thing the European Union still hasn’t do is elect a leader similar to Trump (especially a convicted felon). As stated above, the European Parliament isn’t dominated by the far-right, and all but 2 countries are currently governed by full far-right coalitions.
Phrenology and “Scientific Racism” in the 19th Century https://pages.vassar.edu/realarchaeology/2017/03/05/phrenology-and-scientific-racism-in-the-19th-century/
The familiar paradigm of five human races was born in the year 1795—at the transitional moment between the rationality of the Enlightenment and the emotional fervour of Romanticism—when a German doctor, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, set out the distinct characteristics of those groups he called Caucasians Mongolians, Ethiopians, Americans, and Malays. https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/10/23/the-science-of-race-and-the-racism-of-science/
The Germans once again. Must be something in the Rhine…
this is a nitpick, but Trump actually closely lost the popular vote once all sources were fully accounted for.
Your source says Trump won the popular vote.
Harris got 74.46m votes and Trump got 76.94m votes in the graph.
And the US Election Atlas claims 77.1m for Trump and 74.7m Harris.
This was actually the next link down, but the one I went to post retracted since I read it. So yes, my post was incorrect.
And close or not, Trump did win the popular vote, and we just have to accept it and move on. (and no, I didn’t vote for him.)
Yeah, the place i had originally read it now shows a retraction based on a bad report, replied a little further down
Yep, I see your reply now. Didn’t see it before. Good on ya for noticing it. Thanks!
With 96% of the vote in, Trump has, according to the Associated Press, 49.97% to Vice President Harris’ 48.36%, or 76.9 million votes to 74.4 million.
Drag can’t find your statement in this article. Did you send the right one?
I don’t really care about this kind of drama here. I think people are allowed to have opinions. Attacks on people based on -isms are not cool, but let’s be real… aren’t jokes that target Americans punching up in some of the contexts you’re referring to? And that’s usually fair game.
As for jealousy towards Americans, I truly don’t believe that’s the case.
If there were underlying jealousy, it’d be more towards the country being relatively safe during WW2, having not been bombed or invaded the way Europe was, and having that massive advantage as it grew as a nation.
The success of the USA is generally because of its geographical location and the unfortunate economic conditions that hit Europe due to WW2. I don’t think it’s really because of anything special about American people or American culture.
I think people can be upset with Americans the way that people can be upset with trust fund kids who tell less fortunate people to pick themselves up by the bootstraps.
With that said… can’t you make comments without revealing yourself as an admin? I feel like that’s just going to trigger some people, lol
With that said… can’t you make comments without revealing yourself as an admin? I feel like that’s just going to trigger some people, lol
I dunno, there’s an option to “speak as moderator” but I literally never turn it on. But I figured if people click on my profile they can probably see.
It adds that little shield thing but as I said, I never use it.
I think jealousy was the wrong word to use, but saltiness feels more appropriate. It’s precisely because of the fact that America is only in its current position due to a series of recent historical events that makes it more frustrating for non-Americans. They seem to feel that we are undeserving of our wealth and power, and that they would do a better job if they were running this country.
I get the trust fund analogy, but what about the trust fund kid who donates a lot of money to charity and gets a medical degree and serves underprivileged communities in developing countries? It seems to me that many lemmings would still shit on that person just because of their birth, regardless of the fact that they’re trying to do the right thing.
That’s what I find frustrating, because it’s so counterproductive. If you still get shit on just for being American even when you’re actively trying to escape the corporate machine that controls every aspect of our lives and to connect with alternative viewpoints via Lemmy, you start to wonder why you should even bother.
All of your comments show up to me as having a red username, where everyone else is blue. I’m in Voyager. Either your role is permanently showing in my app, or you’ve got something messed up with the settings. Maybe the shield means “Hide your mod status” and you’ve got it backwards?
As for the benevolent trust fund kid…you’re only focusing on the good. Others are only focusing on the bad. Both are wrong. And I don’t think getting into the exact ratio would be productive, lol
I do empathize with the challenges of trying to feel like part of a community while being “othered” like that. I think the best thing you could do is to not have your username be glowing red for everyone.
Whenever a mod comes in commenting with their mod colour turned on, it makes it look like the mod is implying “Whatever I’m saying here is more important than anyone else’s comment because I’m a mod”. Whether you intend it or not, that’s how it can come across. And to anyone who has issues with authority (which will be a LOT of people here, lol), that’s just putting a target on your back.
You can’t change the comments that people post, but you can influence the kinds of replies you get.
Hmm, that’s interesting. It’s definitely from your app, I’m not confusing the settings. When I click the “Speak as mod” button, the shield appears. I assume that Voyager just automatically displays all admins in red.
Unfortunately, I don’t think there is any way for me to hide my admin status, at least in the current Lemmy version. And honestly, there probably shouldn’t be. It might also be because you have a local SJW account, while users from other servers would only see their local admins in red. Idk.
I appreciate the advice and you’ve got a good point, but it’s never really been a problem for me before. One of the best things about Lemmy is that the admins aren’t so high and mighty that they don’t interact with normal users.
I was just a normal user when I first joined, and then I got elected as a moderator of TheAgora, and then TheDude eventually appointed me as an admin to help manage the server. Then eventually I appointed kerploosh and InEnduringGrowStrong later on, who were also just normal SJW users up until then. I’m very proud of the fact that our admins are just normal users who enjoy Lemmy and are trying to help the server flourish in any way we can. There may come a point where we grow to a size where that approach is no longer tenable, but at the current growth rate, I don’t see it happening any time soon.
I agree with the other commenter. Make an alt account or five, at least for some of the more “spicy” comments.
I don’t write here like I would on Instagram where my friends would see it, or like I would on Facebook where my family would see it, or like I would on LinkedIn where my professional network would see it.
I have different accounts where I can post different crap because different people can see it and I’d have to be accountable to them for what aspects of me they’re seeing.
Unfortunately, being an admin means people hold you to a different standard. Like a cop walking around with a uniform and badge on while trying to party in a frat house.
Sorry but I just replied to the same suggestion so I’m just gonna copy paste my reply below
In general, I agree, but I’m concerned with the prevalence of vote manipulation and shithousing on this site, and I feel like my past track record on this account is one of the only ways for me to protect myself from the constant baseless accusations of being a Russian shill, being a right winger, etc.
I feel that someone needs to be able to counter the increasing tendency towards absolute ideological purity that is strangling this platform, and if people don’t know me from a hole in the wall, it’ll be that much easier to discredit me when I try to criticize the circlejerking that goes on here.
In other words, I’m a human being, and I have opinions, and I’m flawed. But that doesn’t mean I can’t or don’t try my best to act objectively and in the best interests of the server when I’m performing my admin duties. That’s reality, and hiding behind alt accounts just to pretend that I’m a pure paragon of justice on my admin account isn’t really my style, and I don’t really see how it would benefit anyone.
And just in response to your comment specifically, I don’t view my actions over the past few days as having been “spicy” takes, or exhibiting an attitude of partying in a frat house. Some of the things I said were quite frank, yes, but I only came out and said them because I felt that people needed to hear them and respond to them for the good of Lemmy.
As much as people won’t ever believe me in this, I probably wouldn’t have even said any of that crap if I was just a normal user, because personally, I don’t really get upset easily, and I don’t go out of my way seeking confrontation. It’s the fact that I am an admin that led me to speak out, because I feel like these behaviors are harmful to my users who I’m supposed to advocate for and protect, and harmful to the success of Lemmy, which I’m deeply invested in through my role as an admin.
The party at the frat house is Lemmy. You’re the cop, haha
I get where you’re coming from. Saying it as an admin will draw more attention to your comment, as you know, but I think it’ll backfire more often than not by bringing more negative attention.
You’ll also be more likely to bring out reactance in people, I imagine.
Spicy wasn’t the right word, but you commented because you felt your opinion needed to be heard, which suggests it might be unpopular with some audiences.
Saying it because you’re an admin is one thing. Saying it as a admin will draw attention that’ll probably be more negative than not, unfortunately.
Unfortunately, I don’t think there is any way for me to hide my admin status, at least in the current Lemmy version.
You could use an alt to comment, and another account to admin/mod. Your current account shows with the M mod, and I’m not on your instance.
I personally mod using alts, to limit the reach of potential drama should I have controversial takes, or heated discussions with other users.
As you probably noticed, one of the element that made the drama blow up was you making derogatory comments using your admin account. Would this has been on a normal account, the impact would probably have been much lower.
Lemm.ee and Lemmy.zip usually get praised on their invisible admins. You see them post the updates about the servers from time to time, but that’s it.
I had indeed noticed the constant derisive comments regarding Americans,
May I humbly object that without numbers to confirm the mentioned anti-American bias (I have no idea on the question myself, and I have no desire to start such a study either) but without any data of how many comments have been posted, how many have been analyzed, and where they were posted, what % of those were blatantly anti-US and even how is defined that ‘anti-americanism’—and I don’t mean a few selected examples, I mean real stats—all of this is nothing but personal opinions that may indeed be correct, but can also be completely not correct.
It not only depends one’s own sensibility it also depends where one is looking at and what they’re looking for
I mean, would I read content from say an instance like hexbear I’m pretty sure I would find a lot more anti-US comments (but I would also find a lot more anti-anything, and overall braindead-shit) but if I was making the odd decision to eat shit myself, I would not complain it taste like, well, shit.
But maybe I’m just another of those anti-Americans? Maybe not.
Edit: typos and clarifications.
I imagine we would have seen something similar directed at Germany if the internet had been around during the rise of Hitler.
The attacks and humiliation are pretty much exactly what happened to Germany after WWI and lead directly to the rise of the Nazis. The Nazis convinced the Germans that the weimar Republic was too weak for putting up with BRAT from the treaty of Versailles, created scapegoats, and then offered simple solutions to deal with them. Almost exactly what is happening right now in the US.
See also: Palpatine and the galactic Republic.
Or Russians if they invaded their neighbors
