Im afraid most of what i have to say would just be redundant.
Most people who pursue fluff on this website dont stay for very long anyway. People use the internet enjoyment and fulfillment. If they dont hear what they want to hear, theyll go somewhere else that they can.
criticism of the fluff spells is a valid point. its been brought up before. and the answer is that at this point theres not much that can be done about it wihtout a whole lot of work for very little return or gain.
SoM is what you make of it. This is a large site in the sense that it reaches out to such a wide audience and incredibly diverse group of people. So lots of different people with various beliefs can talk together.
In that sense, it is a huge success. Those that come here for 1 day to ask for a spell to do XYZ and get told: "Well, its just not that easy..." can make of the website what they will..."Gee, i guess like anything else worth having i have to put time and effort into this..." OR "...This isnt what i wanted and im going to go soemwhere i do get what i want...."
Dont worry so much about the people who i guess are "fluff". Just make of it what you will and enjoy the people you really do connect with.
Anyway, great discussion and thanks to the OP, Lunargoddess, for making an intriguing post.
I hope its OK to pose an idea here even though I am not a Moderator or a Novice or even experienced. I am new to this site. I do not know if I have added fluff by accident or not but I think not. I noticed the fluff when I first started SOM a few months ago and was reluctant to stay however I am glad that I was able to overcome that and now I see it all as a learning experience. Its made me more open minded. I believe the Fluff have rights too and I am better off for the diversity. Live and learn! For those who want age limitations please excuse my ignorance: why isn't there a coven or group just for that then? A group for practitioners over 18 or 21 that are not at all fluffy.
I believe everything should stay the same. Fantasy spells can teach you to stray from bad spells. As for new age requirement, I find that to be not worth it. Younger people, for the most part, learn easier.
Okay pet does a good job enough. The mods are that, moderators. They like Personified said; do not own the site.
Everyone has rights, and restricting age limits is not wise. Lots of youngsters like myself are here to: learn, and to have a magical community. So having age limits up to 17-18+ is not smart!
It doesn't matter about the age. Some 10 year Olds can be wiser than some adults. Some adults are plain blunt and don't know anything at all. Age doesn't matter, it is just a label of life, it doesn't define a persons actions. If you restrict it? What will happen? Popularity will go down, many teenagers turn to sites for family atmospheres, tips, and start offs on the path itself. If people cant be guided, then where would are creativity, expression, rights, freedom, ect, go?
Fluff ranks aren't always giving. If one person says something that isn't correct, or fluffy and they get the rank, is it fair?no. But i am a ranked fluff? Ranks are ranks? The webaite can rank you it automatically, and not all ranks should be given, or were wisely chosen.I think the mods do good jobs. Everyone follows the orders of order, so please think. Good blessings.
Also when together addressed, making age limits is not healthy. If this is a healthy site that helps in environmental issues, and helps people start off in the pagan path, why restrict it?
It's like saying, your not equal to elders, ect. Like I said before, age is a number. It doesn't define a someone's choice of words, or actions. If your 90 years old, heck you could say something to make you sound 5 years old. Many people know What fiction, and reality is, not everyone but yet again that's life. If you have to tell someone a view, say it. It helps when you get guided, ect.
Everyone should read Flagg's reply to this thoroughly. Don't skim it. Don't skip it because it's long. Read the whole thing nice and slowly with a cup of tea or coffee. Hell, print it and post it to your wall.
Excellent EXCELLENT post. Can't say enough good about it. Flagg, you are by far, the wisest person I've met on this site. I enjoyed reading that. It made my week, not just a single day!
Flagg has made this sink into my head, including the rest of you.
I judged. I used to be a child that thought magick was about fantastical ideas, but later I came to learn the real magick and about Wicca, and so forth.
The website is great despite its fluffy struggles.
I'm new here and was a little doubtful about things when I started reading things like "Drink the WHOLE BOTTLE of soda then jump up and down about 20 times then chant once ''make me round with a bursting belly just like a big bowl of jelly" (lol) but thought people like that could come up in a serious environment (or BECAUSE it's a serious environment).
But I'll stay here and try to learn what i can
Okay yes I understand your situation, but arguing with moderators will only get you banned further.
In some cases it could be because of a number of things, but whatever it was, it would be because you did not follow the rules.
I had a similar problem once, and I was convinced that I had not broken any, after speaking to a Mod they explained that I learned it was because I had not followed a rule, and I wasn't aware of it.
We all make mistakes that we may or may not be aware of, just learn from it, create a new profile and read the rules every day so that they are all fresh in your mind.
If you really feel the need, write out a detailed, polite and logical email to a moderator, send one to a couple of them to see if they know anything.
But this isn't guaranteed, they may or may not know why this happened, hence why I said be very polite, but I think it's just best you left it.
