I don't mind the anything goes nature of I^2. Different forums have different structures and different ways of dealing with drama. And the attitude of simply letting drama run its course seems fine to me. It's interesting to interact with such a range of characters who would obviously get banned almost anywhere else. Drama just seems so petty when it's based around an arbitrary set of rules and who broke what rule and when and by how much.
I agree but something more than this. The Hierarchies of forums are problematic, as is the problems of rules meant to serve being misused as a weapon. I have seen too often forum admins on power trips, moderators being protected, popularity cliques turning on others, underhanded passive aggressiveness posed as being nice and underhanded PM baiting and such.
The more restricted you make a community the more easily the power can be corrupted and the more underhanded and subtle and poisonous the environment can turn.
Stripping away the hierarchical imbalances and rules and people get called into account. This it is very clever saying something catty or underhanded knowing the rules and your popularity will not only protect you but may expose the one you are antagonising to forum censoring or moderation or punishment? Remove those safe guards and you have a more vested interest in having to back yourself and stand unprotected. This of course goes both ways and the person you have an issue with has to do the same.
There is an honesty and genuineness there that appeals to me. It is also fair. Now people may talk about people leaving and frame it in being forced or having to go but I consider this people making choices. No one here can FORCE me to do anything. I am an adult and I own my actions. I have my own perspectives sure and my perspective may be different to others but I do not think that I am unable to be attacked nor unable to defend myself and am no victim. I do not think anyone here is.
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