On Dec 4, 2007 12:58 PM, Fred Bauder fredbaud@fairpoint.net wrote:
The "secret list" meme is fed and nurtured by drama-mongers who incessantly scream "OMG!!! SECRET LIST!!! EVERYONE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO BLOCK!!!! 5 PEOPLE SUPPORTED THE BLOCK!! DUROVA IS TAKING THE FALL FOR THEM!!!"
Wikia currently supports over 3500 mailing lists; the question is, are those promoting the "secret list" meme deliberately malicious or irreparably clueless?
You can generally figure a few with an agenda exploiting the naive. The agenda can be as simple as having fun.
Fred
There is factually a nonzero danger of small groups of people without enough outside feedback going off and doing dumb things, as viewed from the outside.
This happens all the time on the Internet. And a lot of people are sensitive to signs that that may be happening.
I assume good faith about many of those upset by this. Some are dramamongering, but I understand why one might be concerned in the abstract.
There's been a clear distinction between people who, when the details of what was really sent and what those who were on the lists did or didn't recall about it, backed off and said "Ok, thanks for clarifying.", some of whom have other ongoing concerns but who have apparently accepted the innocent communications breakdown apparent underlying truth, and those who continue to believe that we're all out to get them.
Unfortunately, the latter becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy eventually.