On 10/10/07, Marc Riddell michaeldavid86@comcast.net wrote:
on 10/9/07 11:49 PM, David Goodman at dgoodmanny@gmail.com wrote:
Marc, I now ask you whether,m having made what I think to be a correct diagnosis, you have from your experience any suggestions for improvement beyond the hope that
"If a part of those core values is respect for the individual, then, by reaching out to those individuals we will be reinforcing both the individual and those values. These groups are made up of individuals who want to be seen and dealt with as such; and not as merely one expendable drop in a massive sea."
Not that this is wrong--it is totally right as far as it goes. But how can we institutionally encourage this?
David,
In very short: for a start we could begin by greatly improving how we talk to each other.
There are very effective steps, and indeed entire programs, that could be instituted in the Project that would, in time, profoundly improve the very culture of the Project - which is what we are really talking about here.
I have concrete proposals for implementing such programs. BUT, to lay them out here now would be a complete waste of time. BECAUSE, aside from you and a few others, most people on this List appear to believe that the culture of the Project is just fine as it is. To seriously discuss solutions to a problem, there must first be an agreement that such a problem exists.
We keep talking about what Wikipedia is & is not. As we look to the future we should also be asking what else it could be.
Marc
On 10/9/07, K P kpbotany@gmail.com wrote:
On 10/8/07, Marc Riddell michaeldavid86@comcast.net wrote:
What does matter is the individual contributor's ability to interact in a constructive way with another contributor.
....
The problems are not with the Community, but with the individual members who make up that community.
Marc Riddell
Geeze, Marc, you just won't let go about personal responsibility, will you?
On the other hand, when I act badly, I usually am the one to blame for it. But it just seems so simple, in a way.
KP
on 10/10/07 6:38 PM, George Herbert at george.herbert@gmail.com wrote:
We can always create another mailing list, or a discussion project on en.wikipedia or meta somewhere.
I am very open to this, George. In fact, one of my proposals would require either a separate List or a "sandbox" type of thing in Wikipedia itself where persons could learn and practice communication skills.
I agree that there are cultural issues, but my long experience with internet culture makes me tend to think that there aren't real "solutions" for them per se.
Then let's put our collective creativities together and find some solutions. It could become just one of Wikipedia's legacies.
However, I am open to having my mind changed on that point.
That is all that I ask.
Marc