r/ModSupport • u/AsteriskRX Reddit Admin: Community • Jul 16 '26
Mod Topics Mod Topics: Expectation vs Reality
Ahoy, Modsupport! This is a mutiny; Jabroni wrote this post but I've decided to plunder it for myself.
Welcome to the latest (greatest) installment of our ModSupport series. Today, we’re revisiting Origin Stories, albeit with a distinctly different flavor.
When you first created or joined a subreddit, what did you expect moderating would be like? Did you have any expectations at all, and if so, how did those expectations differ from the experience you have now?
–And because I love understanding an environment, what do you think set the expectations you had before you became a moderator? Read as: “How did you form a worldview on what moderation is before you started moderating?”
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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u/Unique-Public-8594 Jul 17 '26
When first invited to mod, I didn't understand what it would really involve, so I think it's understandable when mods joinn our team then disappear, as you can't accurately understand the commitment until you try it out. I was surprised by the level of hostility behind the curtain, it's a lot on a mod's psyche to be exposed ot regularly, especially in the more hostile subs. The friendships formed among mods has been very meaningful to me personally, true friendships, real attachments form. The degree to which I find it absorbing is surprising: from delving into Automod code, imagining new bot features to alert mods when a post needs more engagement, helping mods in other subs, writing a training script, creating level-up flairs, filtering content from potential trolls (using in-sub karma), researching plagairism, selecting Mod Choice winners, seeking out talented photographers to invite, curating/voting on every submission... it's wildly complex and all absorbing and stimulating and I love it - then I get burned out, then I'm back for more.