On Fri, Feb 6, 2009 at 10:58 AM, Marc Riddell michaeldavid86@comcast.netwrote:
[snip] With that in mind, I am proposing the following:
A guideline (or "rule" if you want) stating, Do not make any statement in a discussion that does not contribute constructively towards the advancement of that discussion. And that, any statement found in a discussion by another reader of that discussion that does not contribute constructively towards the advancement of that discussion be challenged immediately, openly and directly.
This will take time, patience, and probably involve a bit of controversy. But with this very clear, direct approach a culture will be created. A culture of fairness and civility that will be the signature culture of the Wikipedia Project.
Thoughts?
Marc Riddell
on 2/6/09 11:33 AM, Chad at innocentkiller@gmail.com wrote:
It will never work. What's constructive? Who decides what's constructive? Is calling someone a troll constructive? What if they really are trolling? Is it constructive when I repeat a point I've already made? What if you just disagree with me, could you then challenge my points as being non- constructive since they aren't right?
Such a system requires common sense. We wouldn't be in this mess if people had common sense to begin with.
"It will never work." ? That's a pretty solid wall you've put up, Chad.
The key phrase in your message is "common sense". And I don't believe the term "constructive" needs to be endlessly defined here. This is a collaboration and not a court of law. I believe the majority of editors in the Project possess enough of a sense to be able to determine whether a statement is constructive, i.e., helps build upon what's been said toward a reasonable conclusion and one that serves only to be an obstacle, a distraction to that construction. I am asking reasonable, intelligent persons to make reasonably intelligent judgments here. I believe we are capable of that.
As for "calling someone a troll"; we shouldn't be calling anyone anything.
Marc