[WikiEN-l] Bureaucrats decide!

[Erik Moeller]

On 4/12/07, Phil Sandifer <Snowspinner at gmail.com> wrote:
> There are large aspects of Wikipedia ttat are dominated by people's
> whose opinions should be discounted completely as the destructive
> idiocy that they are.

No, that kind of culture of hostility is what we must guard against.
The opinions against WP:OFFICE were misdirected. But the concerns
about the process are valid & merit open debate. They should be
directed to foundation-l, the WP:OFFICE talk page, and so forth.
WP:OFFICE is a very first hackish attempt to solve a complex problem.
The flaws of the process have been unfairly projected at Danny, who
was not the architect of the policy.

The same principle applies in many debates; for example, many AfD
comments are really concerns about specific Wikipedia policies such as
notability, which very much are in need of revision and reform. Direct
and instruct people to talk about these problems in the right places,
and you may get useful results. Telling them to shut up because they
perpetuate "destructive idiocy" breeds hostility and contempt.

There are destructive idiots. When recognized, they should be banned
from Wikipedia. All other users should be treated with respect and
understanding. I'm worried about the idiots. But I'm more worried
about the erosion of a culture of respect that has been essential to
Wikipedia's success as a community.
-- 
Peace & Love,
Erik

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