#1 - Feb. 21, 2011, 5:09 p.m.
For new people to a forum, it's like drinking from a fire hose. You don't know who to listen to, you don't know the signal to noise ratio, you don't even know if you are in the right place. The green text should provide a lighthouse of sorts until they get their own understanding of the group.
In a couple forums in particular there seems to be a wave of "hall monitors" who spend more time telling the OP what is wrong with their post rather than provide them with some sort of conversation, discussion, or assistance. When these responses are curt and candid, they often come across as rude and trolling. Some of them are intended to be and some aren't even though it is the result.
When an MVP comes along and tries to push the conversation back in a constructive (an overused term these days) direction, they get lumped into the "hall monitor" category with the other players. MVPs are in a unique and lately a tough position of being first among peers. This isn't that far from the oldest child whom the parents expect to be more mature, take on responsibilities of caring for the others, but who get no additional authority. In situations with unruly siblings, it is near impossible for them to be seen in a positive light even though the majority of MVPs volunteer to improve the forum part of the WoW experience.
Those of us who have had negative encounters with MVPs, whether directly or just reading posts, have an obligation of treating that MVP with separation from the group as a whole. I think most of us understand that there is a variety of Blizzard forum posters and while the MVPs share a certain set of characteristics, they are just as varied and the rest of us. I know from personal experience that it is easy to lump them altogether spreading our dislike or even disdain to the group as a whole because of an individual.
I think that those who don't approve of or support the MVP program have to be careful that their feelings of the program itself are not transferred to the posters that Blizzard has placed in the program. It's not an easy distinction to make sometimes. Expectation management of the program helps. Maybe think of the MVPs are those kids we went to school with who showed the new student around or the gal at the office who makes the introductions and helps new people settle in. While neither of these people are "in charge" they are good at helping to keep things moving with a minimal amount of awkwardness. They also set some of the first impressions a person has of the group.
For the MVPs themselves, they have to be careful not to fall into the trap of complacency. While their past posts are obviously important in their selection as an MVP, their current posts are more so. While it may be the 213th time they've answered or responded to the same issue, for that OP it's the first. It is this daily interaction with new and old forum goers that decides how the community receives them.
Green text or not, post quality and community social skills are the hallmark of solid leadership on these forums. Take someone like Evol (he'll most likely prefer I not use him as an example) he's not an MVP but when "the old bull" makes a post over in Guild/Raid Leadership people take note. This is because he has a long history of being attentive to the issues, sane, rational, non-inflamatory, and inclusive.
The MVPs as well as the rest of us have a responsibility to the success or failure of the MVP program. It's great to see solid discussion on the topic. Every so often all programs should be reviewed for their continued need. In a sense this is the player base discussing the want/need of the MVP program in its current form.
We like to hold everyone on giant pillars these days. Let's just not hold our peers too high. While it's good to hold the MVPs accountable for what and how the post, we should look at our own posting as well. Like Kermit says, "it's not that easy being green," and maybe that's ok.
