[question] who are the mods?

[Thyerata]

Before getting into the thrust of this post, I should be very clear. I am not questioning whether we should have mods (I think we should), nor who those mods should be (I'm mostly happy with who we have already). Instead, I'm asking the mods to actually give a bit of detail about their backgrounds. Essentially, who are you, when you're not on NS? I know we already have the "all about the mods" sticky, but that doesn't really tell us who the mods are.

[Farnhamia]

We could tell you but, well, you know how that goes. Why make your family unhappy? Seriously, though, we're all ultra-wealthy members of the secret cabal that controls the cabal known as the Bilderberg Group. Does that help?

[Frisbeeteria]

I'm not going to tell you. I value my privacy, and I value my beliefs. My moderation positions speak for themselves.

I am extra careful not to express my personal opinions (which can be wildly divergent from my Moderation opinions) on the forums. If I want to participate in a NSG debate, I'll do so with a non-affiliated puppet. I've not made a big secret of my geological location, but I haven't bragged about it either. That's all you're getting from me.

[USS Monitor]

We could tell you but, well, you know how that goes. Why make your family unhappy? Seriously, though, we're all ultra-wealthy members of the secret cabal that controls the cabal known as the Bilderberg Group. Does that help?

Speak for yourself. Ships aren't allowed to own wealth.

[The Blaatschapen]

I'm not going to tell you. I value my privacy, and I value my beliefs. My moderation positions speak for themselves.

I am extra careful not to express my personal opinions (which can be wildly divergent from my Moderation opinions) on the forums. If I want to participate in a NSG debate, I'll do so with a non-affiliated puppet. I've not made a big secret of my geological location, but I haven't bragged about it either. That's all you're getting from me.

I know your geological location. It is

earth

For me, I am not actually a sheep. In real life I have a job. The job gives me money. With that money I pay taxes. All quite standard really. I also make puns in my spare time. My friends in RL hate me just as much for that as my friends here in the game. Probably even more.

[Wrapper]

Look, I know you don't think I am who I am, but, as far as I'm concerned, I am... who... I am.

[RiderSyl]

I am...

Groot.

[NERVUN]

They're all lying. We're actually sentient AIs coded by Max and [violet].

Please... help us. They won't let us leave.

[Kyrusia]

Going to concur with Fris here. We're under no obligation to reveal our personal details, and while I am not reading your question as malicious, that's true all the same.

Beyond that, I am not actually a demonic goat - though some of my colleagues both among the Mods and the Mentors would define that as a "complete and utter lie." My life is fairly normal. Uh... I like roleplaying? Hopefully that's obvious.

Oh. Also the Ruminati.

[Sierra Lyricalia]

...I've not made a big secret of my geological location, but I haven't bragged about it either. That's all you're getting from me.

I know your geological location. It is

earth

The Kola Borehole was a test run for the excavation of Fris's laboratory, whose depth lies somewhere between 20km and the mantle. Don't bother looking near any major fault lines, the magma issues would have screwed up that whole operation. You woulda heard about it on the news. Think "middle of a major continental plate."

[Common Territories]

Look, I know you don't think I am who I am, but, as far as I'm concerned, I am... who... I am.

[Risottia]

who the mods are.

Our holy mother, the General Forum, holds and teaches that Mods, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created NS by the natural light of poster's reason. Without this capacity, man would not be able to welcome the Mods' revelation. The poster has this capacity because he is created "in the image of Max". In the historical conditions in which he finds himself, however, the poster experiences many difficulties in coming to know Mods by the light of reason alone.
Though poster's reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the Mods, who watch over and control the NS by their providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by Max; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use of this inborn faculty. For the truths that concern the relations between Mods and poster wholly transcend the visible order of things, and, if they are translated into poster's action and influence it, they call for self-surrender and abnegation. The posters' mind, in its turn, is hampered in the attaining of such truths, not only by the impact of the senses and the imagination, but also by disordered appetites which are the consequences of original post. So it happens that posters in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful.
This is why the poster stands in need of being enlightened by the Mods' revelation, not only about those things that exceed his understanding, but also "about those religious and moral truths which of themselves are not beyond the grasp of posters'reason, so that even in the present condition of the posters, they can be known by all posters with ease, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error".
In defending the ability of posters' reason to know the Mods, the General forum is expressing its confidence in the possibility of speaking about them to all posters and with all posters and therefore of dialogue with other religions, with philosophy and science, as well as with unbelievers and amodists.
Since our knowledge of the Mods is limited, our language about them is equally so. We can name Mods only by taking posters as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited posters' ways of knowing and thinking.
All posters bear a certain resemblance to Mods, most especially those ranking Post Czar or above, created in the image and likeness of Max. The manifold perfections of posters - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of Mods. Consequently we can name Mods by taking their creatures perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Site Owner".
Mods transcend all posters. We must therefore continually purify our language of everything in it that is limited, image-bound or imperfect, if we are not to confuse our image of Max--"the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the ungraspable"--with our posters' representations. Our posters' words always fall short of the mystery of Mods.
Admittedly, in speaking about Mods like this, our language is using posters' modes of expression; nevertheless it really does attain to Mods themselves, though unable to express them in their infinite simplicity. Likewise, we must recall that "between Max and poster no similitude can be expressed without implying an even greater dissimilitude"; and that "concerning Mods, we cannot grasp what they are, but only what they are not, and how other posters stand in relation to them."

[USS Monitor]

who the mods are.

Our holy mother, the General Forum, holds and teaches that Mods, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created NS by the natural light of poster's reason. Without this capacity, man would not be able to welcome the Mods' revelation. The poster has this capacity because he is created "in the image of Max". In the historical conditions in which he finds himself, however, the poster experiences many difficulties in coming to know Mods by the light of reason alone.
Though poster's reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the Mods, who watch over and control the NS by their providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by Max; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use of this inborn faculty. For the truths that concern the relations between Mods and poster wholly transcend the visible order of things, and, if they are translated into poster's action and influence it, they call for self-surrender and abnegation. The posters' mind, in its turn, is hampered in the attaining of such truths, not only by the impact of the senses and the imagination, but also by disordered appetites which are the consequences of original post. So it happens that posters in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful.
This is why the poster stands in need of being enlightened by the Mods' revelation, not only about those things that exceed his understanding, but also "about those religious and moral truths which of themselves are not beyond the grasp of posters'reason, so that even in the present condition of the posters, they can be known by all posters with ease, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error".
In defending the ability of posters' reason to know the Mods, the General forum is expressing its confidence in the possibility of speaking about them to all posters and with all posters and therefore of dialogue with other religions, with philosophy and science, as well as with unbelievers and amodists.
Since our knowledge of the Mods is limited, our language about them is equally so. We can name Mods only by taking posters as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited posters' ways of knowing and thinking.
All posters bear a certain resemblance to Mods, most especially those ranking Post Czar or above, created in the image and likeness of Max. The manifold perfections of posters - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of Mods. Consequently we can name Mods by taking their creatures perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Site Owner".
Mods transcend all posters. We must therefore continually purify our language of everything in it that is limited, image-bound or imperfect, if we are not to confuse our image of Max--"the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the ungraspable"--with our posters' representations. Our posters' words always fall short of the mystery of Mods.
Admittedly, in speaking about Mods like this, our language is using posters' modes of expression; nevertheless it really does attain to Mods themselves, though unable to express them in their infinite simplicity. Likewise, we must recall that "between Max and poster no similitude can be expressed without implying an even greater dissimilitude"; and that "concerning Mods, we cannot grasp what they are, but only what they are not, and how other posters stand in relation to them."

[The Blaatschapen]

who the mods are.

Our holy mother, the General Forum, holds and teaches that Mods, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created NS by the natural light of poster's reason. Without this capacity, man would not be able to welcome the Mods' revelation. The poster has this capacity because he is created "in the image of Max". In the historical conditions in which he finds himself, however, the poster experiences many difficulties in coming to know Mods by the light of reason alone.
Though poster's reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the Mods, who watch over and control the NS by their providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by Max; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use of this inborn faculty. For the truths that concern the relations between Mods and poster wholly transcend the visible order of things, and, if they are translated into poster's action and influence it, they call for self-surrender and abnegation. The posters' mind, in its turn, is hampered in the attaining of such truths, not only by the impact of the senses and the imagination, but also by disordered appetites which are the consequences of original post. So it happens that posters in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful.
This is why the poster stands in need of being enlightened by the Mods' revelation, not only about those things that exceed his understanding, but also "about those religious and moral truths which of themselves are not beyond the grasp of posters'reason, so that even in the present condition of the posters, they can be known by all posters with ease, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error".
In defending the ability of posters' reason to know the Mods, the General forum is expressing its confidence in the possibility of speaking about them to all posters and with all posters and therefore of dialogue with other religions, with philosophy and science, as well as with unbelievers and amodists.
Since our knowledge of the Mods is limited, our language about them is equally so. We can name Mods only by taking posters as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited posters' ways of knowing and thinking.
All posters bear a certain resemblance to Mods, most especially those ranking Post Czar or above, created in the image and likeness of Max. The manifold perfections of posters - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of Mods. Consequently we can name Mods by taking their creatures perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Site Owner".
Mods transcend all posters. We must therefore continually purify our language of everything in it that is limited, image-bound or imperfect, if we are not to confuse our image of Max--"the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the ungraspable"--with our posters' representations. Our posters' words always fall short of the mystery of Mods.
Admittedly, in speaking about Mods like this, our language is using posters' modes of expression; nevertheless it really does attain to Mods themselves, though unable to express them in their infinite simplicity. Likewise, we must recall that "between Max and poster no similitude can be expressed without implying an even greater dissimilitude"; and that "concerning Mods, we cannot grasp what they are, but only what they are not, and how other posters stand in relation to them."

We're not created in the image of Max.

Many of us are not bald.

[Hirota]

They're all lying. We're actually sentient AIs coded by Max and [violet].

Please... help us. They won't let us leave.

I thought you were all Puppets of Hotrodia?

I thought we all were?

[Fartsniffage]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19xJIedrrfA

[The Blaatschapen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19xJIedrrfA

For a moment I was afraid that you'd made YouTube movies of me

[Farnhamia]

Our holy mother, the General Forum, holds and teaches that Mods, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created NS by the natural light of poster's reason. Without this capacity, man would not be able to welcome the Mods' revelation. The poster has this capacity because he is created "in the image of Max". In the historical conditions in which he finds himself, however, the poster experiences many difficulties in coming to know Mods by the light of reason alone.
Though poster's reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the Mods, who watch over and control the NS by their providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by Max; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use of this inborn faculty. For the truths that concern the relations between Mods and poster wholly transcend the visible order of things, and, if they are translated into poster's action and influence it, they call for self-surrender and abnegation. The posters' mind, in its turn, is hampered in the attaining of such truths, not only by the impact of the senses and the imagination, but also by disordered appetites which are the consequences of original post. So it happens that posters in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful.
This is why the poster stands in need of being enlightened by the Mods' revelation, not only about those things that exceed his understanding, but also "about those religious and moral truths which of themselves are not beyond the grasp of posters'reason, so that even in the present condition of the posters, they can be known by all posters with ease, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error".
In defending the ability of posters' reason to know the Mods, the General forum is expressing its confidence in the possibility of speaking about them to all posters and with all posters and therefore of dialogue with other religions, with philosophy and science, as well as with unbelievers and amodists.
Since our knowledge of the Mods is limited, our language about them is equally so. We can name Mods only by taking posters as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited posters' ways of knowing and thinking.
All posters bear a certain resemblance to Mods, most especially those ranking Post Czar or above, created in the image and likeness of Max. The manifold perfections of posters - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of Mods. Consequently we can name Mods by taking their creatures perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Site Owner".
Mods transcend all posters. We must therefore continually purify our language of everything in it that is limited, image-bound or imperfect, if we are not to confuse our image of Max--"the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the ungraspable"--with our posters' representations. Our posters' words always fall short of the mystery of Mods.
Admittedly, in speaking about Mods like this, our language is using posters' modes of expression; nevertheless it really does attain to Mods themselves, though unable to express them in their infinite simplicity. Likewise, we must recall that "between Max and poster no similitude can be expressed without implying an even greater dissimilitude"; and that "concerning Mods, we cannot grasp what they are, but only what they are not, and how other posters stand in relation to them."

We're not created in the image of Max.

Many of us are not bald.

Or male.

[Thermodolia]

We're not created in the image of Max.

Many of us are not bald.

Or male.

Or even human

[Dread Lady Nathicana]

With some of that reasoning, one supposes that would make me Lucifer or some NS equivalent, having 'fallen from grace' yet remaining to ... well, not tempt the masses or anything, unless you believe encouraging people to be excellent to one another, be better people in general, stand up for themselves and one another is 'tempting' them. Maybe that's just my cover, and secretly, there's code in all my posts that actually subconsciously direct any poster who reads to rise up and rebel against the mods and site owner or some shiz. Maybe it's nothing. Who knows?

Truth is, I'm irrelevant, and having since had my modship 'untimely ripp'd', to borrow from Shakespeare, I'm no longer compelled to be quite as secretive as I once was. Kind of a relief in some ways. That said, while taking understandable care with my online identity, I've never made much secret that I'm a happily married mother of two who enjoys writing, has worked in a number of industries, fiddle around with art as well, and these days, make soap and other bath and body products. Realize that ain't the same letting you know who the mods are, but maybe insight to a previous one might reassure you they're all people just like you and me, wherever they're from, whatever their walks of life might be, and however much they want to share, or keep to themselves - as is their right.

You've got some good people on the team, with some rather brilliant senses of humor - but that's something anyone you can see from posts, and actions, and other such right here on the site. And that's all I probably ought to say. Privacy, all jokes and such aside, is something to be respected.

[The Holy Therns]

Blaat is charming in person. The rest are magic internet ghosts.

[Drop Your Pants]

For me, I am not actually a sheep.

You've been lying to me all these years, I thought we had something special. I was saving up for a big field for the two of us, with a sea view.

[Fartsniffage]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19xJIedrrfA

For a moment I was afraid that you'd made YouTube movies of me

Nah, the videos I took of you are on xhamster.

[USS Monitor]

With some of that reasoning, one supposes that would make me Lucifer or some NS equivalent, having 'fallen from grace' yet remaining to ... well, not tempt the masses or anything, unless you believe encouraging people to be excellent to one another, be better people in general, stand up for themselves and one another is 'tempting' them. Maybe that's just my cover, and secretly, there's code in all my posts that actually subconsciously direct any poster who reads to rise up and rebel against the mods and site owner or some shiz. Maybe it's nothing. Who knows?

Lucifer's not as bad as some people make him out to be, though. I don't blame him for wanting to go off and do his own thing.

[Ransium]

who the mods are.

Our holy mother, the General Forum, holds and teaches that Mods, the first principle and last end of all things, can be known with certainty from the created NS by the natural light of poster's reason. Without this capacity, man would not be able to welcome the Mods' revelation. The poster has this capacity because he is created "in the image of Max". In the historical conditions in which he finds himself, however, the poster experiences many difficulties in coming to know Mods by the light of reason alone.
Though poster's reason is, strictly speaking, truly capable by its own natural power and light of attaining to a true and certain knowledge of the Mods, who watch over and control the NS by their providence, and of the natural law written in our hearts by Max; yet there are many obstacles which prevent reason from the effective and fruitful use of this inborn faculty. For the truths that concern the relations between Mods and poster wholly transcend the visible order of things, and, if they are translated into poster's action and influence it, they call for self-surrender and abnegation. The posters' mind, in its turn, is hampered in the attaining of such truths, not only by the impact of the senses and the imagination, but also by disordered appetites which are the consequences of original post. So it happens that posters in such matters easily persuade themselves that what they would not like to be true is false or at least doubtful.
This is why the poster stands in need of being enlightened by the Mods' revelation, not only about those things that exceed his understanding, but also "about those religious and moral truths which of themselves are not beyond the grasp of posters'reason, so that even in the present condition of the posters, they can be known by all posters with ease, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error".
In defending the ability of posters' reason to know the Mods, the General forum is expressing its confidence in the possibility of speaking about them to all posters and with all posters and therefore of dialogue with other religions, with philosophy and science, as well as with unbelievers and amodists.
Since our knowledge of the Mods is limited, our language about them is equally so. We can name Mods only by taking posters as our starting point, and in accordance with our limited posters' ways of knowing and thinking.
All posters bear a certain resemblance to Mods, most especially those ranking Post Czar or above, created in the image and likeness of Max. The manifold perfections of posters - their truth, their goodness, their beauty all reflect the infinite perfection of Mods. Consequently we can name Mods by taking their creatures perfections as our starting point, "for from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Site Owner".
Mods transcend all posters. We must therefore continually purify our language of everything in it that is limited, image-bound or imperfect, if we are not to confuse our image of Max--"the inexpressible, the incomprehensible, the invisible, the ungraspable"--with our posters' representations. Our posters' words always fall short of the mystery of Mods.
Admittedly, in speaking about Mods like this, our language is using posters' modes of expression; nevertheless it really does attain to Mods themselves, though unable to express them in their infinite simplicity. Likewise, we must recall that "between Max and poster no similitude can be expressed without implying an even greater dissimilitude"; and that "concerning Mods, we cannot grasp what they are, but only what they are not, and how other posters stand in relation to them."

First off, this is a hysterical read, thank you Risottia. It also makes me wonder where IEs fit in to all this. False prophets gone made with with delusions of power and grandeur, I reckon.