[WikiEN-l] Userboxes: A rational proposal

[Matt Brown]

On 2/19/06, Steve Bennett <stevage at gmail.com> wrote:
> For the same reason that we don't allow strong POV usernames
> (AntiAbortionCrusader etc), shouldn't we discourage stating of POVs on
> userpages?

The problem with userboxes, stated bluntly, is that people are willing
to say much more aggressive and divisive things with userboxes than
they'll generally say when they're writing it in their own words.  For
one thing, turning an opinion into a pithy 'This user ...' statement
gets rid of nuance and equivocation, and for another thing, many seem
to be more comfortable displaying others' words than saying the exact
same thing themselves.

-Matt