[Foundation-l] Criticism of employees (was VPAT)

[Marc Riddell]

> On Thu, Feb 17, 2011 at 12:14 AM, James Alexander <jamesofur at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I'm not sure I would say it like that (that they would simply stop
>> responding at all) but I worry that the method at which discussion
>> and criticism has developed is encouraging the growth of a culture where
>> goes against the very thing we say we vocally fighting for. This
>> is definitely not  just a foundation-l thing and you're right to say it like
>> that is a bit of a red herring and ignores the real issue... It is also
>> something that I think has roots in all of the active
>> aspects of the community.

on 2/18/11 8:08 PM, Samuel Klein at meta.sj at gmail.com wrote:
> 
> James, this was a good post.  We do need a more active focus on
> kindness, effective skepticism, and constructive criticism.
> 
> And I agree that the problem being expressed here (not MZM's comment
> about transparency, which is valid and should be considered
> separately) -- the universal trouble with people attacking one another
> and making public spaces feel unsafe -- affects many parts of the
> community.
> 
> The fact that we associate "active Wikipedia work" on en:wp with AN/I
> is indicative of the trend.  That noticeboard is hardly relevant to
> the work of most editors, lingering on conflicts of various sorts.
> 
>> So frequently whenever someone opens their mouth they get bitten, regardless
>> of what is happening the tenants of assuming good faith are just thrown out
>> the window.
> 
> This is where not having safe spaces to discuss what's going on limits
> transparency...
> 
> 
>> Maybe this is how I work but I feel like we want a culture where it is
>> perfectly acceptable for someone to respond without all the data, for them
>> to make mistakes and get corrected and have that debate and those arguments.
> 
> So do I.

To James: This is one of the most accurate, and articulate, descriptions of
the present enWikipedia culture that I have read. Thank you. But, so far,
any suggestions for change has been met with apathy or, those advocating
change being considered malcontents and troublemakers. Yes, I have been
accused of trolling:-). I have been trying to call attention to this problem
of a dysfunctional culture in the Project for 4 years now. However, the
initiative for change, and the know-how to create it, doesn't appear to
exist at the highest levels of the Project. Pity.

To Samuel: And, so do I.

Marc Riddell