=NO DRAMA ZONE= How you can help!

[Soquili]

exclaim note: Some people are confused about the nature of this thread. It was only created to explain how everyone can be empowered to help stop drama by giving them the authority to do so. Read the FAQ for more insight. Thanks

Thread drama is not tolerated at Soquili and here is why:

1. Drama makes other thread-goers uncomfortable and upset.
   
2. Gaia and Soquili are for your entertainment and where you go to escape RL (real life) and have fun. Fun = / = Drama!
   
3. Drama is a virus that is highly contagious!
   
4. Drama turns you into a nasty spitting llama that no one wants to be around. dramallama
   
5. Most of all, DRAMA SUCKS! gonk
   

...But what constitutes as drama? confused

1. Insulting a soquili staff member, a soquili owner, another Gaia user or another pet shop in a public thread. This includes insulting a staff member or other thread-goer's performance.
   
   If you are a victim then be proactive: 1. Politely tell this person that their posts are offending you. 2. Put this person on ignore if they keep on insulting you after being asked to stop. 3. file a report to a gaia mod if severe enough and also file a report to the soquili staff. Do not attempt to fire back insults to that person or you will be involved in the drama yourself.
   
   Example1: DramaticDottie posts: "ConnieColorist always uses image fills when she makes animal patterns! Why hasn't she been fired?"
   Example2: LiloLlama posts: "SoqOwninStu is not even worth the tag of his soquili. I wish he'd give up all his soquili to me!"
   
   
2. Discussing controversial topics that are more likely to stir up drama such as abortion, etc. Go to the Extended Discussion forum if you want to discuss those issues.
   
   In the event a touchy subject does arise for thread conversation, (which does occur without intent) thread go-ers are encouraged by others to take it to ED/PMs. If they, (those talking about the subject) do not/refuse to do so, then they are in violation of the soq rule. If they stop/take it to ED or PMs, then, no rule has been violated, and no report need be sent.
   
   
3. Displaying symbols or other images and/or text in your posts or sigs that are meant to harass a staff member, pet owner, pet shop or other thread-goer. The shop can't do anything about sigs so just PM them to a mod if they offend you.
   
   Example1: LiloLlama posts an image that shows SoqOwninStu's avatar giving all his soquili to Lilo and it reads: "I wish that idiot would really do thisl!"
   Example2: DramaticDottie posts an image that shows ConnieColorist's avatar handcuffed to a chair that reads, "Good, now that untalented hack can't desecrate another pet with her shoddy image fills!"
   
   
4. Posting about a very touchy RL issue for pages and pages like a soquili public thread is your Gaia Journal. PM a friend instead or go start a Gaia Journal!
   
   In the event someone does this, (which does occur without intent) they are encouraged by others to take it to PMs and/or a Gaia journal. If they do not/refuse to do so, then they are in violation of the soq rule. If they stop/take it to PMs or a journal, then, no rule has been violated, and no report need be sent.
   
   Example: DramaticDottie posts how she stepped on her cat's tail and then got into a car accident on the way to her mother's cousin's older brother's funeral. Now she claims she is typing with a bandaged pinky on a lap top in a hospital where her next door neighbor's friend's roomate's parole officer is being treated for colon polyps. That's not all, she cheated with her boyfriend's former employer's favorite hot dog stand vendor and he may not be the father of her five year old son, Foxworthy! But wait, there's more.... (insert 10+ pages filled with her drama).
   
   -more when I think of it-
   

exclaim All drama needs to be moved to PMs or other private messaging service.
In short: You can say anything you'd like as long as it doesn't insult or harass another person, isn't a highly dramatic ED-type issue and drama meant for your journal.

...Ok, but what isn't drama? confused

1. Friendly discussion and debate that is constructive, respectful, mature and doesn't insult the performance of a staff member, pet owner, pet shop or highly drama-inducing controversial issues.
   
   Example1: SpewingRainbows posts: "My kitten is playing with a ball of yarn right now! OMG how cute! 4laugh Let's discuss how much strands of fur might be covering a single kitten!"
   Example2: SweetiePie posts to ConnieColorist: "You sure have improved your coloring since you were hired. You still could use help on animal prints if you wanted to make them look more life-like. I know some tutorials that really helped me with my coloring. Do you want to see?" (notice that Sweetie compliments Connie first and then criticizes her. That is followed by a way Connie could get help. This turns a negative into a positive).
   
   
2. Telling others that your pet/family member/soquili/etc is dead/sick/hurt/etc as long as this topic doesn't go on for pages and pages. It is also not drama if you tell people you are having a bad day. Everyone has them. :3
   
   Example1: SpewingRainbows posts: "I got a tummy ache and am not feeling well. Sorry if I don't respond to RPs today. sad "
   Example2: SweetiePie posts: "My grandma got ran over by a reindeer today! crying I'm so upset. Can anyone offer comforting?"
   
   
3. Displaying symbols or other graphics and/or text in your posts or sigs that are positive.
   
   Example1: SpewingRainbows shows a picture of SoqOwnerStu's avatar with a big rainbow above him and sparkles. Written underneath is "Stu RLZ!"
   Example2: SweetiePie writes how happy she is with Connie's work (now that Connie knows how to make animal prints properly of course).
   -more when I think of it-
   

Gee willikers! eek Those drama llamas must be stopped! What can I do to help?
I'm glad you asked, my over-eager drama detester! Whenever there is public thread drama going on then quote their posts with a llama emoticon ( dramallama ) and say: "Please take this drama to PMs" or politely ask them another way.
The drama llamas must take their drama to PMs or other private messenging service. If they don't then alert a soquili staff member ASAP or if severe then a Gaia mod. Someone can then PM Soquili with this form to report the drama. If you don't know some choices then leave them blank.

=Drama Report=
Name(s) involved in the drama:
Who caused the drama?:
What is the drama about?
Page number of the drama:

The drama llamas will then be warned if they had never been involved in drama before, grey-listed if they had or blacklisted for several infractions at the discretion of the shop owner. The one to report the drama will be kept anonymous!

exclaim If you have any questions about whether or not something could be interpreted as drama or any other non-dramatic comments or concerns then reply to this thread.

Ten Drama-Free Things to Do!
-Are you a drama llama that doesn't know how to live without drama?-

1. Pay someone a compliment!
   
2. Look at kitten pictures on Google images
   
3. Make a new friend!
   
4. Eat ice cream!
   
5. Go take a walk outside!
   
6. RP with your soquili!
   
7. Have or go to a party!
   
8. Visit a friend!
   
9. Play games on Gaia!
   
10. Go see a movie!

+ many many other things!

 

[Soquili]

DRAMA ZONE FAQ

Q: One if I'm just playing around in the thread with a friend and not really causing any drama. Then I get reported for drama. What happens?

A: If that happens then I'll just look over the report made and ask the so-called "dramatic" people about it. If they say it was in jest and in the thread it is clearly such then I'll give no punishment whatsoever. It isn't like the report is being sent to a machine that will punish people without making any human judgment.
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Q: So we can't have any discussions or debates?

A: Yes you can as long as they aren't highly dramatic ones like abortion that belong in the ED forum and insult or harass another person.
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Q: This drama thread opens a can of worms and will make drama worse!! Why have you done this?

A: I don't see how it will make drama worse by giving everyone power to help stop drama. Soquili staff can't be online 24/7. It helps the "drama ignorant" learn what drama is. On Tuesday (June 9th at 9:30 am), a soquili owner tried to stop drama going on in the thread by saying "please take this to PMs" but she was ignored. The drama went on for several more pages because the dramatic folks didn't think she had any authority. This is the reason I've decided to take action with this drama thread. I think that if everyone has the authority to stop drama and believes they do, then drama can be stopped before it hurts or upsets people even more.
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Q: This sounds like a great idea. Could I use it in my shop too?

A: Sure. You can even copy everything word for word (just replace Soquili with your own shop name). All this thread is doing is empowering the average Joe to stop thread drama. A "drama watch" program in the breedables is highly needed to help stop drama offenders. It just makes the breedables a happier place.
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Q: One if there are people who keep abusing the system by reporting things that aren't drama and just want to be a tattler? Do they get punished?

A: Yes, crying "drama wolf" is a cause for punishment too. If there are people who report every move someone makes that isn't drama then they are abusing the system. Their reports may start being ignored like Peter's was when the wolf actually tried to eat him.
~~~

Q: I think the definition of insult is too broad and people might not know it from a critique!

A: I trust that people are mature and intelligent enough to distinguish a critique from an insult.
Example of insult:
Lilollama says: "ConnieColorist deserves to be put to death for her shoddy coloring! Why hasn't this b***h been fired?"

Example of critique:
SweetiePie says to Connie: "I think you have improved a lot since being hired but you may need some help on your animal prints. They don't look as life-like as they could be and I know you are capable of it. Here are some links of tutorials to show you how to improve yourself!"

The difference is clear, an insult just... insults someone but a critique tries to help someone.
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Q: How come we can't talk about abortion and other highly controversial issues?

A: It is because those issues should be spoken about in the proper forum. If someone goes into the GCD to say "What does everyone think of abortion?" then that thread is moved to the ED by a mod.

A pet shop isn't the proper place to discuss things like that. IRL would you go into a pet shop and shout, "TELL ME YOUR ABORTION OPINIONS"? I'm sure they would ask you to leave once people started heated debate. It would cause potential customers to leave which makes the pet shop lose business.
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Q: It is against the Bill of Rights to tell people to remove harassment from their sigs! Why do you have that included in your zone thread?

A: Yes you're right about the sig but I got rid of that within a few hours of posting the first draft of the zone thread in the wee morning hours when someone PMed saying that wouldn't be allowed.

I don't know why some people had been PMing about this well into the Friday afternoon as though that rule still existed unless there is discussion of the zone on an off-Gaia site. Therefore, it means people aren't looking at my thread but going off what they read there. I can't control it if they are so shouldn't keep having to defend myself against something that no longer exists.