On 2/4/11, Fred Bauder <fredbaud(a)fairpoint.net>
wrote:
To me the obvious answer is keep your head and
support others, all the
more so when the going gets rough.
Fred
That doesn't seem like the obvious answer to me; to me the obvious
answer is to stay the (heck) away. Why would anyone deliberately
stick around for this? I can't think of any remotely rational reason
why any remotely rational person would do that. I think I've kept
my head and supported others, all along, but that hasn't changed the
situation; nothing I could do myself would change this situation one
iota. If people are polite and congenial and supportive, as I have
been, if people are rude and insulting, as some others have been who
have fought this battle much longer than I and have grown weary and
frustrated, the situation remains the same either way; it's not the
behavior of neutral editors that is causing the problem I've
encountered.
I came to this list to explain why I don't edit Wikipedia, because I
(apparently mistakenly) thought someone here might honestly want to
know why one woman has chosen not to edit Wikipedia, but so far
mainly what I've got is responses that seem to be suggesting that I'm
causing the problem myself somehow-- a problem that's caused, not by
me, but by the failure of Wikipedia governance structures to address
in any meaningful way the problem of tendentious editing in the
service of an agenda-- and that if I would just (fill in the blank
with random Wikipedia slogans about being a better Wikipedia editor)
then all would be well. It's not true.
Woonpton
Battling ignorance is rational. Raising a small army, as we have, to
battle ignorance is also rational.
There is stereotype involved here, as demonstrated in the film High Noon:
a brave man fighting evil, a woman who deserts him.
I don't think the stereotype is valid, but having experience with my
mother, who was easily intimidated, I know there is some truth to it.
With respect to your experience, as I said, I share it, and have given up
from time to time on Wikipedia when it seemed that the ignorant and
aggressive were getting the upper hand.
Fred