The example I call to refute this is myself. Ask any of the regular posters from when I joined, I was one of the nastiest SOB's around. A good chewing out from when I stepped over the line once too often, a good knock over the head for smarting off, and I shaped up (I like to think) into the sort of guy that loves to be around and people like having around. If I'd been banned outright when I stepped over, it wouldn't have happened, I'd have stayed a beligerant smartass. I understand that I'm the exception, but (again, I like to think) it's the exception that proves the rule.
(Psst: The bit you were responding to was preceded by "It
would be easier...")
There's nothing wrong with the cold-water-in-the-face. I mean, if someone slips up a few times over the course of thousands of posts, there's nothing wrong with a polite slap on the wrist. But if it goes to the point where an admin/mod feels the only way to get through to the offending person is by "stooping to their level", I think a ban (even a temporary one) is in order.
I like the debates, but I don't want to see them dissolve into petty bickering any more than the next person. But, at the same time, I don't want to read constant exasperated "I'm so sick of you people" posts by admins. It boils down to either the offending poster(s) that are annoying said admin(s) need to be banned, or said admin(s) are over reacting. If the former is correct then ban the offending poster(s) and let the forum be happier for it. If it's the latter, then perhaps said admin(s) require some cold-water-in-the-face as well.
In all honesty, there has been a few times in which I actually considered hitting the "report to moderator" button on admin posts to point out these things. But frankly, I thought it might cause more problems than it solved. Not because I doubted the validity of my claim, but because the temperament of the post left me expecting a response of "don't like how things are done, leave".
Prejudice. Literally. You're assuming that a major chewing-out of one person who's stepped WAY over the line is going to equate to your getting pissed on if you pose a reasonable, private question to the mod. Plus, and I repeat, you still don't have anywhere nearly all the information. I've SEEN massive chewings-out. They're a sort of compliment - they mean that the person getting chewed out at least seems to have the POSSIBILITY of straightening up and flying right, becoming a contributing member of the forum. WJM is a perfect example. He was (sorry, WJM, but I think you'll agree) pretty damn dickish. He got a thorough chewing-out and now he's a member in fine standing here - because, as he said, he didn't just negligently get booted but was actually ADDRESSED, actually given more than just "You screwed up" to show him how and how BADLY he had stepped over the line.
This goes hand in hand with how you don't "want to read constant exasperated 'I'm so sick of you people' posts by admins" honestly misses the point. Yeah, the mods could just boot people. Do you
really think they'll learn? Especially when they're repeat offenders who have more than once entirely missed the point about HOW they're offensive? If a punishment is to have any effectiveness, it must be strong enough to catch and HOLD the attention of the person receiving it. They have to know in absolutely NO uncertain terms WHAT they did, WHY it's wrong and WHY it's not fit for polite society. And when there's a whole freakin' flood of people doing that, are you
honestly surprised that there are "I'm so sick of you people" mod posts?
And finally, aren't you exaggerating a
lot with the "constant" description? Happened a handful of times, and anyone who honestly claims that those times were quiet and peaceful and NOT exasperating as hell needs to see a surgeon to fix that rectocranial inversion.