# What is the best way to react to emotional messages that touch personalities rather than topics; a question to experienced mods

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-react-to-emotional-messages-that-touch-personalities-rather-than-topics-a-question-to-experienced-mods/38453>\
**Category:** Community Building\
**Created:** [25.Январь.2016 14:21:16 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-react-to-emotional-messages-that-touch-personalities-rather-than-topics-a-question-to-experienced-mods/38453 "2016-01-25T14:21:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 5

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**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)\
**Post date:** [26.Январь.2016 03:14:18 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-react-to-emotional-messages-that-touch-personalities-rather-than-topics-a-question-to-experienced-mods/38453/5 "2016-01-26T03:14:18Z")

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I would generally say “have a strong set of rules and stick to them”.

Do not allow cultural differences to explain away meanness to others, tell them this is my house and these are my house rules. If you cannot respect them, and each other, you need to find another place to go.

The absolute worst thing you can do is have no rules, unclear rules, or weakly enforced rules.

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