Marc Riddell wrote:
on 12/19/07 11:06 PM, Todd Allen at
toddmallen(a)gmail.com wrote:
For most admins, though, a marked change in the
way they react to people
(especially toward the negative) should be a good reason for someone to
gently suggest they take a voluntary and temporary break from the tools
before they're given an involuntary and permanent one. Ideally, this
would be someone the person knows and trusts, and that the person being
given the advice would be hesitant to simply brush off as a troll or a
fool. As to those trusted people, the best thing you can do for those
you trust and care for is to be honest with them, even when that honesty
might sting a little.
Todd,
To me "civility" in a community of persons includes resources being
available for the individual to reach out to for assistance when they need
it. Within WP we have a lot of technical resources, with experts available,
when a Community Member needs this kind of help (and, believe me, I've been
one of them many times :-). But are there any resources available to someone
who is needing some emotional support?
Many, many persons bring many, many pieces of emotional baggage to the
Project. And we certainly can't do anything about that. But, when the
emotional dilemma a person finds themselves in is a direct result of some
activity in the Project, could we not provide some first step with an ear
where the advice might, in fact, come down to the person needing a break?
This could be something as simple as a list of persons who are willing to
make themselves available to listen and offer some input. I find this
process a lot more civil than just letting the person flame out on their
own.
Marc Riddell
I'm also not really sure this works in practice. Such relationships tend
to be best if they develop on their own, since that way genuine bonds
have time to develop. By the time the friend has to say "Look, you seem
really stressed out, why don't you take a couple weeks away?", bonds of
trust have developed and the person might really pause to think "You
know, I really have been out of line the past month or so." I'm not
really sure such a thing can be replicated artificially though. When we
have, for example, dispute resolution, it is -ideal- that the mediator,
arbitrator, what have you, not know any of the participants well. That's
not really so for someone offering help on what may be personal and
sensitive issues.