sugarvalves [1963573] —
Original article
On the 30th of November the announcement was made that former committee member Midknight would be freed on January 29th 2017, after the serving of a 60-day sentence not taking into account time served.
His spell in Federal Jail came as the result of what can only be described as one of the stupidest crimes ever committed, in Torn or elsewhere, as this highly visible citizen attempted to sell a confidential mask item for personal gain weeks before its official release.
How Midknight thought he would get away with such deception is unfathomable to even the most deluded mind, as the level of cunning involved would make Mr Bean seem like a master criminal, with Midknight understandably too embarrassed to take part in an interview for this piece.
But the issue most players were concerned about was the draconian punishment handed out to him. Or, as it later transpired, the retraction of said penalty, which in turn led to the retraction of sanity and good humour by many of Torn's perpetually outraged citizens.
As a member of the committee it was expected that Midknight should hold himself up to a higher standard, and in turn, many demanded he should be punished more harshly for his actions. Few were suggesting he should return to the committee, but a significant number thought his ban should have been temporary, given the relatively inconsequential nature of his crime and the lack of opportunities he'd have to offend in this way again since being stripped of his status.
Intriguingly, the reduction of Midknight's penalty came as a result of Chedburn's appointment as head of Torn's committee, which itself became necessary in light of the departure of several staff members. It later transpired that some of these exits were in response to the rehiring of a colleague formerly accused of misconduct, and this added yet another layer of filth to what was quickly becoming a very grubby situation.
The staff member in question, whom I shall refer to as Urethra Franklin for both her own anonymity and my own amusement, was exposed via a post from former community head Marc, who, while not naming her directly, did bring around the circumstances which led to her outing.
Ms Franklin had been accused of helping another user gain access to 14 accounts that weren't hers, and when it was proven that this had occurred, Marc decided in conjunction with Clansdancer to relieve her of her duties. A fair assessment, and a not unreasonable outcome.
"Before destaffing an investigation obviously took place. I looked at the accounts that were verified incorrectly, her chats/mails, etc, and the details of her training history with Clansdancer. She was also currently in a training period when some of these accounts were verified incorrectly (so all decisions to release accounts back should have gone through the trainer.) I had a talk with the trainer and Clansdancer, and obviously, Urethra herself and the decision was made (because of a lack of evidence of malicious intent on her part) that she would be removed from staff."
Marc freely admits that there is a lack of evidence that the individual in question acted maliciously, and that his main issue is with her perceived level of competence. Yet after Urethra was rehired in a limited role, a decision which was also not unreasonable, Marc's public outrage at this incident doesn't seem to tally with his assertion that there was no malicious intent.
Furthermore, Urethra's perceived incompetence in some areas was apparent to Marc during her training, yet upon discovering this, he admitted that he gave her the option of continuing in her position or leaving.
"When I first came on board as a community manager, I was told Urethra was great in the bookies, and during a retraining I gave her the option of staying as sec (and continuing the retraining) or dropping down to helper and solely working on the bookies - she took the decision to remaining on the retraining."
With Urethra Franklin's retention, albeit in a small capacity, Chedburn seems to be doing something Marc himself deemed appropriate at one time, and she has simply been put to good use where she can make the most impact and the least mistakes. But some, including Marc, disagree that such an appointment is appropriate.
"Whilst seemingly dedicated to get the job right, someone who cannot listen should not be in any staff position."
A confusing situation indeed. Many strained metaphors have been shared through the forum in an effort to make sense of this incident, with some quite rightly pointing out that a lack of ability in one area does not mean you are flawed in another. Stevie Wonder is awful at Guess Who. Stephen Hawking is terrible at the javelin. Would either of these facts preclude them from being recognised for the talents they do possess, or is one flaw enough for a complete and utter character assassination?
In the spirit of allegorical discourse, I shall now offer a thought of my own.
When you fly in an aeroplane you trust in the mechanics to have done their checks, you pray that air traffic control has kept the skies clear, and you hope that the pilot is alert and ready. But, if a disgruntled ex-employee were to inform you that even the most cursory inspections of an aircraft take place as infrequently as every 300 flights, that air traffic controllers, many of whom are college dropouts, are under constant pressure to take risks to avoid delay, and that half of all pilots fall asleep at the controls, with a third doing so while their co-pilot is also dozing off, you'd understandably question whether or not to take that trip to Hawaii.
These are all verifiable truths, but all must be taken into context alongside the positive facts too, otherwise it paints a distorted picture devoid of all balance. In my opinion, this is what Marc's post became, a hatchet job, as by offering a solely one-sided viewpoint which does not take into account any of Urethra's strengths, he has not only reduced the community's trust in Ms Franklin, but also Torn's staff as a whole.
Plenty of decisions go on under the surface which makes the Torn community safe, help the game move along and result in everyone being kept relatively happy. Many of these decisions you'd disagree with, some you'd find charming and delightful, but it's irrelevant either way. They are made by those privy to more information than everyone else, and done in private, where a fair and balanced decision can be made by people in the know.
The composition of the staff can be rightly questioned when certain factions make up a significant proportion of their numbers, but has anyone come forward with evidence of their wrongdoing? Is there a smoking gun indicating further misconduct? And has the exodus of several disgruntled staffers at once not made the situation worse, by their own admission?
I believe that when Marc went public he did more damage than Midknight or Urethra Franklin ever did. He broke the vow which all staff members agree to when taking the job - he was sworn to secrecy. Perhaps he did not believe this confidentiality applied once he left his position, and perhaps he is right, but it should, as thanks to his expose people are now calling for every aspect of Torn's administrative side to be transparent and aired.
This would be a disaster, as one notable Torn resident so eloquently puts it.
"With customers, i.e players, you need to tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Sometimes the game does not work the way they want it too and you need to let them know this...Marc is free to have his opinion as much as he likes, but there would seem to be a bit of a grudge going on here...compared to Clansy and Hydro...they are not creating havoc in the forums. Both Marc and boo do run the risk of suffering a backlash. Again, they should be free to express their views, but there is a possibility it will scare off new players, and the entire game always needs fresh blood to keep the community alive and kicking..." - Former Staffer Sweeney_Todd
Clansdancer and Hydro remain highly regarded by many, but if you were to analyse every aspect of their decision-making processes you'd probably find faults, as you would with any human being. Nobody is perfect, therefore a system as transparent as a sheet of glass is never the answer, but perhaps one akin to a misty shower door or an elderly relative's ornate porch windows would be sufficient. I don't know. I'm not an expert on opacity.
In any event, some transparency has already been promised by Chedburn in his most recent statement, but Marc has not given Torn the chance to experience this without bias. By blowing off the washing machine doors and exposing Torn's stash of dirty laundry, much of which is lightly soiled at best, Marc has opened what should've been a closed case to a trial by public opinion and has directly prevented Torn's existing staff from washing their underpants away in private.
And regardless of how serious you perceive Urethra Franklin's crimes to be from the limited evidence available to you, the fact is she has no power to affect the game in any meaningful way. Her continued employ will not destroy the world of Torn, but if you were to believe the blustering statements of her detractors you'd think we'd just let a paedophile run a nursery school and greased him up for good measure.
But what will destroy Torn, if we let it, is the whipping up of anti-staff sentiment. Moderators need respect or they don't have power. This doesn't mean they have to be infallible or perfect in any way. And if they fail, there should be visible consequences, as there always has been and as there will be in future. Regardless of what went on in the interim, ultimately Urethra Franklin was appropriately demoted. Regardless of what went on between his crime and sentencing, Midknight was eventually given an appropriate punishment.
However, as much as I agree with some of Marc's points, and while I do truly believe he had Torn's best interests at heart when he posted, it is my opinion that he has damaged the respect of Torn's authorities by airing his grievances and allowing every member of the staff and committee to be undermined at will. Whatever Chedburn does now, whether he hires the greatest admin team in history, puts Dekloren in charge of everything or somehow develops a magical cream for soothing mass societal butt-hurt, his actions will be seen as either a response to or rejection of Marc's words. With this all played out in public, he and his staff literally cannot win.
Not that this is something Marc, nor the likes of Boo have to deal with, especially after her somewhat grandiose resignation statement on the forum. How does one even tempt such high horses to the top of an ivory tower? An impressive feat indeed, although getting them down will likely prove a challenge. Horses don't do stairs, their knees go all funny, so I imagine some kind of winch?
Who knows. Who cares? And here therein lies the problem. With Marc, Boo and the rest gone, it is the remaining staff and committee members who must now deal with the constant scrutiny placed upon them. It is staff who will deal with queries knowing their authority is undermined, leading lives devoid of sweet Karma, while Torn's very own Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning offer trinkets to an adoring crowd. It is staff who must take action against unruly players, and then suffer the inevitable response of;
"Omg fak u ur just a idiat lyk Marc sed."
If any of the previous statements directed at Marc and Boo irritated you, if they seemingly demonstrated my inherent bias and hypocrisy, then good, for that is entirely what I intended. Now you too can experience what it feels like to have only one side of the story told. How it must feel to know that you have been judged based on feelings, conjecture and what people reckon about stuff. How it must feel to be Urethra Franklin, giving your time for free to a game you love, making a mistake, and then being hauled over the coals in public like a winter hog.
The situation is quite simple. Urethra Franklin's rehiring combined with Midknight's freeing has made many feel as though there's an "anything goes" attitude in place. But in focusing on these two, many have missed the obvious point that Marc, and indeed any other former staff or committee members who have publically aired private elements of the decision-making process, have themselves displayed their unsuitability for the roles which they once held, as their egregious dereliction of their duties and willingness to sacrifice former colleagues seems far more offensive than pilfering an item or being too naïve.
My ivory tower is taller than yours, and my high horse's coat has a lustre which cannot be matched. His name is Clyde the Magnificent.
In summary, Torn has been punished by this incident, and whether you share with my opinions or not, I think we can all agree that even a ten-gallon drum of Chedburn's own brand butt-hurt cream will not soothe these chapped buttocks anytime soon. However, with our drama-loving leader's commitment to the world of Torn not in question, we must work together to restore faith in our staffers and committee and show them our support, with the hope that those chosen in future prove more meticulous than Urethra, less unscrupulous than Midknight (or at least a more competent criminal), and more loyal than Marc and Boo.
However, what Torn may never recover from was the heavy intake of salt provided by the 50 or so pages of forum posts dedicated to the subject. Rather than reading and writing this drivel we could've made art, written music, sliced open our enemies, or made sweet, clammy love and danced in the snow.
Instead, we spent precious time complaining about the limited authority of strangers, we mocked the abilities of someone most of us do not nor will ever know, and we questioned the consistency of laws in a place where you can shoot someone in the face and not go to jail.
For shame Torn City, for shame.
His spell in Federal Jail came as the result of what can only be described as one of the stupidest crimes ever committed, in Torn or elsewhere, as this highly visible citizen attempted to sell a confidential mask item for personal gain weeks before its official release.
How Midknight thought he would get away with such deception is unfathomable to even the most deluded mind, as the level of cunning involved would make Mr Bean seem like a master criminal, with Midknight understandably too embarrassed to take part in an interview for this piece.
But the issue most players were concerned about was the draconian punishment handed out to him. Or, as it later transpired, the retraction of said penalty, which in turn led to the retraction of sanity and good humour by many of Torn's perpetually outraged citizens.
As a member of the committee it was expected that Midknight should hold himself up to a higher standard, and in turn, many demanded he should be punished more harshly for his actions. Few were suggesting he should return to the committee, but a significant number thought his ban should have been temporary, given the relatively inconsequential nature of his crime and the lack of opportunities he'd have to offend in this way again since being stripped of his status.
Intriguingly, the reduction of Midknight's penalty came as a result of Chedburn's appointment as head of Torn's committee, which itself became necessary in light of the departure of several staff members. It later transpired that some of these exits were in response to the rehiring of a colleague formerly accused of misconduct, and this added yet another layer of filth to what was quickly becoming a very grubby situation.
The staff member in question, whom I shall refer to as Urethra Franklin for both her own anonymity and my own amusement, was exposed via a post from former community head Marc, who, while not naming her directly, did bring around the circumstances which led to her outing.
Ms Franklin had been accused of helping another user gain access to 14 accounts that weren't hers, and when it was proven that this had occurred, Marc decided in conjunction with Clansdancer to relieve her of her duties. A fair assessment, and a not unreasonable outcome.
"Before destaffing an investigation obviously took place. I looked at the accounts that were verified incorrectly, her chats/mails, etc, and the details of her training history with Clansdancer. She was also currently in a training period when some of these accounts were verified incorrectly (so all decisions to release accounts back should have gone through the trainer.) I had a talk with the trainer and Clansdancer, and obviously, Urethra herself and the decision was made (because of a lack of evidence of malicious intent on her part) that she would be removed from staff."
Marc freely admits that there is a lack of evidence that the individual in question acted maliciously, and that his main issue is with her perceived level of competence. Yet after Urethra was rehired in a limited role, a decision which was also not unreasonable, Marc's public outrage at this incident doesn't seem to tally with his assertion that there was no malicious intent.
Furthermore, Urethra's perceived incompetence in some areas was apparent to Marc during her training, yet upon discovering this, he admitted that he gave her the option of continuing in her position or leaving.
"When I first came on board as a community manager, I was told Urethra was great in the bookies, and during a retraining I gave her the option of staying as sec (and continuing the retraining) or dropping down to helper and solely working on the bookies - she took the decision to remaining on the retraining."
With Urethra Franklin's retention, albeit in a small capacity, Chedburn seems to be doing something Marc himself deemed appropriate at one time, and she has simply been put to good use where she can make the most impact and the least mistakes. But some, including Marc, disagree that such an appointment is appropriate.
"Whilst seemingly dedicated to get the job right, someone who cannot listen should not be in any staff position."
A confusing situation indeed. Many strained metaphors have been shared through the forum in an effort to make sense of this incident, with some quite rightly pointing out that a lack of ability in one area does not mean you are flawed in another. Stevie Wonder is awful at Guess Who. Stephen Hawking is terrible at the javelin. Would either of these facts preclude them from being recognised for the talents they do possess, or is one flaw enough for a complete and utter character assassination?
In the spirit of allegorical discourse, I shall now offer a thought of my own.
When you fly in an aeroplane you trust in the mechanics to have done their checks, you pray that air traffic control has kept the skies clear, and you hope that the pilot is alert and ready. But, if a disgruntled ex-employee were to inform you that even the most cursory inspections of an aircraft take place as infrequently as every 300 flights, that air traffic controllers, many of whom are college dropouts, are under constant pressure to take risks to avoid delay, and that half of all pilots fall asleep at the controls, with a third doing so while their co-pilot is also dozing off, you'd understandably question whether or not to take that trip to Hawaii.
These are all verifiable truths, but all must be taken into context alongside the positive facts too, otherwise it paints a distorted picture devoid of all balance. In my opinion, this is what Marc's post became, a hatchet job, as by offering a solely one-sided viewpoint which does not take into account any of Urethra's strengths, he has not only reduced the community's trust in Ms Franklin, but also Torn's staff as a whole.
Plenty of decisions go on under the surface which makes the Torn community safe, help the game move along and result in everyone being kept relatively happy. Many of these decisions you'd disagree with, some you'd find charming and delightful, but it's irrelevant either way. They are made by those privy to more information than everyone else, and done in private, where a fair and balanced decision can be made by people in the know.
The composition of the staff can be rightly questioned when certain factions make up a significant proportion of their numbers, but has anyone come forward with evidence of their wrongdoing? Is there a smoking gun indicating further misconduct? And has the exodus of several disgruntled staffers at once not made the situation worse, by their own admission?
I believe that when Marc went public he did more damage than Midknight or Urethra Franklin ever did. He broke the vow which all staff members agree to when taking the job - he was sworn to secrecy. Perhaps he did not believe this confidentiality applied once he left his position, and perhaps he is right, but it should, as thanks to his expose people are now calling for every aspect of Torn's administrative side to be transparent and aired.
This would be a disaster, as one notable Torn resident so eloquently puts it.
"With customers, i.e players, you need to tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Sometimes the game does not work the way they want it too and you need to let them know this...Marc is free to have his opinion as much as he likes, but there would seem to be a bit of a grudge going on here...compared to Clansy and Hydro...they are not creating havoc in the forums. Both Marc and boo do run the risk of suffering a backlash. Again, they should be free to express their views, but there is a possibility it will scare off new players, and the entire game always needs fresh blood to keep the community alive and kicking..." - Former Staffer Sweeney_Todd
Clansdancer and Hydro remain highly regarded by many, but if you were to analyse every aspect of their decision-making processes you'd probably find faults, as you would with any human being. Nobody is perfect, therefore a system as transparent as a sheet of glass is never the answer, but perhaps one akin to a misty shower door or an elderly relative's ornate porch windows would be sufficient. I don't know. I'm not an expert on opacity.
In any event, some transparency has already been promised by Chedburn in his most recent statement, but Marc has not given Torn the chance to experience this without bias. By blowing off the washing machine doors and exposing Torn's stash of dirty laundry, much of which is lightly soiled at best, Marc has opened what should've been a closed case to a trial by public opinion and has directly prevented Torn's existing staff from washing their underpants away in private.
And regardless of how serious you perceive Urethra Franklin's crimes to be from the limited evidence available to you, the fact is she has no power to affect the game in any meaningful way. Her continued employ will not destroy the world of Torn, but if you were to believe the blustering statements of her detractors you'd think we'd just let a paedophile run a nursery school and greased him up for good measure.
But what will destroy Torn, if we let it, is the whipping up of anti-staff sentiment. Moderators need respect or they don't have power. This doesn't mean they have to be infallible or perfect in any way. And if they fail, there should be visible consequences, as there always has been and as there will be in future. Regardless of what went on in the interim, ultimately Urethra Franklin was appropriately demoted. Regardless of what went on between his crime and sentencing, Midknight was eventually given an appropriate punishment.
However, as much as I agree with some of Marc's points, and while I do truly believe he had Torn's best interests at heart when he posted, it is my opinion that he has damaged the respect of Torn's authorities by airing his grievances and allowing every member of the staff and committee to be undermined at will. Whatever Chedburn does now, whether he hires the greatest admin team in history, puts Dekloren in charge of everything or somehow develops a magical cream for soothing mass societal butt-hurt, his actions will be seen as either a response to or rejection of Marc's words. With this all played out in public, he and his staff literally cannot win.
Not that this is something Marc, nor the likes of Boo have to deal with, especially after her somewhat grandiose resignation statement on the forum. How does one even tempt such high horses to the top of an ivory tower? An impressive feat indeed, although getting them down will likely prove a challenge. Horses don't do stairs, their knees go all funny, so I imagine some kind of winch?
Who knows. Who cares? And here therein lies the problem. With Marc, Boo and the rest gone, it is the remaining staff and committee members who must now deal with the constant scrutiny placed upon them. It is staff who will deal with queries knowing their authority is undermined, leading lives devoid of sweet Karma, while Torn's very own Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning offer trinkets to an adoring crowd. It is staff who must take action against unruly players, and then suffer the inevitable response of;
"Omg fak u ur just a idiat lyk Marc sed."
If any of the previous statements directed at Marc and Boo irritated you, if they seemingly demonstrated my inherent bias and hypocrisy, then good, for that is entirely what I intended. Now you too can experience what it feels like to have only one side of the story told. How it must feel to know that you have been judged based on feelings, conjecture and what people reckon about stuff. How it must feel to be Urethra Franklin, giving your time for free to a game you love, making a mistake, and then being hauled over the coals in public like a winter hog.
The situation is quite simple. Urethra Franklin's rehiring combined with Midknight's freeing has made many feel as though there's an "anything goes" attitude in place. But in focusing on these two, many have missed the obvious point that Marc, and indeed any other former staff or committee members who have publically aired private elements of the decision-making process, have themselves displayed their unsuitability for the roles which they once held, as their egregious dereliction of their duties and willingness to sacrifice former colleagues seems far more offensive than pilfering an item or being too naïve.
My ivory tower is taller than yours, and my high horse's coat has a lustre which cannot be matched. His name is Clyde the Magnificent.
In summary, Torn has been punished by this incident, and whether you share with my opinions or not, I think we can all agree that even a ten-gallon drum of Chedburn's own brand butt-hurt cream will not soothe these chapped buttocks anytime soon. However, with our drama-loving leader's commitment to the world of Torn not in question, we must work together to restore faith in our staffers and committee and show them our support, with the hope that those chosen in future prove more meticulous than Urethra, less unscrupulous than Midknight (or at least a more competent criminal), and more loyal than Marc and Boo.
However, what Torn may never recover from was the heavy intake of salt provided by the 50 or so pages of forum posts dedicated to the subject. Rather than reading and writing this drivel we could've made art, written music, sliced open our enemies, or made sweet, clammy love and danced in the snow.
Instead, we spent precious time complaining about the limited authority of strangers, we mocked the abilities of someone most of us do not nor will ever know, and we questioned the consistency of laws in a place where you can shoot someone in the face and not go to jail.
For shame Torn City, for shame.
Original article
Comments
Post a Comment