Dear colleagues,
Examples like these remind us how important a sense of humor is for successfully remaining
and being productive in the grand work of Wikipedia. By the time I got through the series
of comments LauraHale asks us to consider, I was again reminded of why I like Wikipedians
and why I am outraged by Wikipedians. Gallows humor can set in, but hope is sparked too.
Stick with it Laura, you are making headway. There is decent (if exasperating) engagement
going on, not bad.
Meanwhile, does anybody have an amusing joke to keep the rest of us amicably disposed to
the "world brain' project? How about an anecdote?
I have a little one:
Somehow I'd surfed my way into a situation (seemed all male) where an admin (a) had
taken to task, threatened, and ultimately exaggerated the sins of a (supposed) Canadian
teenager(t) who'd created a segment on a page donning himself the First Lord or Baron
of somewhere - something like that. The (a) was not very civil and after I visited the
'lord' page, I believed (a) had taken the facts and got ahead of himself. It was
clear to me an exuberant new Wikipedia contributor (t) got deeply into being a lord, and
was especially fond of envisioning and detailing lordly regalia, sabre weaponry, and
medals to enhance his lordliness.
I decided to weigh in and defend (t) suggesting admins needed to take this (obvious youth)
with a grain of salt, gently guide the newcomer, helping create an environment where he
distinguishes online gaming characters from what really exists, facts vs. fantasy, if you
will. Well, I posted to that effect, because I worried the 'lord' (t) would
disappear from Wikipedia forever (and it was obvious he showed 'promise'). Other
admins got in on it, agreed with me, and the last I knew, they'd taken (a) 'out
behind the woodshed.' I thought that reaction harsh too. I likely posted some kindly
comments on Virtues. My ideas were defended, not attacked. I surfed off somewhere
else... I hope (t) stayed on board, corrected, and survived his first lordly battles...
KSRolph