We're still in beta here, and a few people have taken Plime's completely open system as an invitation to stir up drama. Instead of getting annoyed, I'll simply use this lesson as a learning experience to shape Plime's culture and rules.

Plime is so lax when it comes to banning people that I think some folks think it's not possible to do it here. It's really not the case. I'm simply trying to take the opportunity to learn from everyone, no matter how much someone sets off warning flags, and that means having as much discussion as possible out in the open.

There is no bigger cowardice than passive aggressive behavior, and no bigger bane to a forum community. If something upsets you and you are too afraid to speak out civilly about it or notify me through private messages, kindly take your ball and go home. Don't look back.

Don't try to snowball it to take as many other people with you on your way out.

I'd like a discussion as to the best possible consensus for what would constitute stirring up drama. This is not an official list. It's a way to get the community thinking out loud about what is and isn't acceptable behavior here and anywhere else online.

The following are (in my opinion) examples of trolling or stirring up drama. Don't worry if you're "guilty" of any of these. I think everything is a matter of looking forwards and knowing that your past is easily forgotten.

• Posting a note that you are done with Plime and aren't returning. If you aren't returning you obviously don't need your account (or any others) anymore.
  
• Reposting a thread or news post that was voted into deletion by the community.
  
• Starting a thread or news post which is deliberately inflammatory.
  
• Threatening people or to leave the site over something that upsets you.
  
• Assuming multiple identities simultaneously and having them interact or refer to each other as if they are separate people. I don't care if you wish to start fresh and create a new account - just abandon your old account and never revisit it. Pretending to be multiple people is seriously creepy and pretty pointless considering how easy it is to spot.
  
• Open flirting in the forum. I don't care what you do in your personal life, but I know that open flirting leads to jealousy and jealousy leads to drama. Keep it private. No saccharine pet names for people like "honey" or "babe" in comments.
  
• Posting "just kidding" or a wink emoticon after writing something obnoxious (that is clearly not sarcastic) doesn't make a post any less obnoxious. It's just a passive aggressive way of saying the same insult.

Please feel free to add more.

And now, so this post isn't entirely negative:

Here's a tip to anyone who feels that Plime isn't fun anymore.

• Take a break. Someone pisses you off? Emailing them politely and asking them to stop isn't working? Take a break. Breathe deeply. Come back, if/when you feel like it. It's only the Internet and taking it too seriously isn't doing your stress levels or enjoyment of it any good.

Reposting a thread or news post that was voted into deletion by the community.

well, it is obvious, but just to make sure someone doesn't grasp it, it is or should be okay to post a deleted news post if the reason it was deleted is corrected

as an example my posting a story that FriedBrains has posted a blog post about got great results and started a nice conversation. Sure the story was the same, but it was from an unbiased and third-party source.

Starting a thread or news post which is deliberately inflammatory.

Yes, very bad. There is a difference however in inflamatory and controversial. For example posting something in the forum talking about some of the illogicalness in religion 'x' will cause some serious debates, it may even get nasty but it should be allowed for those who can discuss things like an adult.

Posting that those who follow religon 'x' are an abomination and should be eradicated is just inflamatory.

Excellent points on both accounts. Regarding the reposting, I meant the same user doing it, knowing that it was already deleted and choosing to ignore the wishes of the community.

while poking around here, I noticed this,
does Kimm realize what little impact her(maybe his) votes have? Is Kimmy fb?

Guilty as charged. But I didn't whine about it. Some people whine, which is really annoying.

I don't think I started any drama, though. It was in the forum and not out in the regular items where it would be much more visible. People that do that are attention whores.

You can always expect to get negative comments from people who feel slighted. The key is not to rub salt in the wounds and offer constructive criticism instead.

So it's unacceptable to ever leave the site, even if something about the site really upsets you?

(ETA, I was just jesting with that bit. I'm sure it means something else, I just wanted to play with it meaning that)

And for the record, I wasn't trying to start any drama. I left quietly and I left an explanation for anyone who cared to read it. I didn't start a thread about it and I didn't make a fuss. I came back a couple of times to check my messages because I still talk to people on here and then there was a thread linking to my profile. I didn't want to make a big deal about anything and I didn't want to change anything. I just wanted to slip out quietly.

I assume the rule is ment to be somewhat similiar as Worth's anti-drama anti-suicide rules. Lot of forums have people publicly declaring they're leaving because of whatever, to gain sympathy and to cause drama. Worth has always removed those threads and banned those people right away.

Leaving a site is easy, just don't show up anymore. Declaring it in your profile with half veiled suggestions of drama is, well, drama. Not acceptable.

I wasn't trying to suggest any drama. I was just giving a reason for why I was leaving, just for like closure or something. So I didn't just dissapear. I'm sorry if I see this differently than you. I see making a whole thread to declare that I was leaving would have been something for an attention-whore to do and I didn't want to do that. I really hate that my profile got brought up and everyone got all stirred up about it. I'm not the one who posted it in the forum.

I wasn't referring to you spesifically, I can't even remember what you wrote in your profile. Just clarifying what the (similiar) rule is over at Worth.

Blame MaskedWriter's second account for bringing you into this.

Okie :)