[WikiEN-l] A thought on community dynamics

[George Herbert]

On 10/10/07, Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 at comcast.net> wrote:
> on 10/9/07 11:49 PM, David Goodman at dgoodmanny at gmail.com wrote:
>
> > Marc, I now ask you whether,m having made what I think to be a correct
> > diagnosis, you have from your experience any suggestions for
> > improvement beyond the hope that
> >
> > "If a part of those core values is respect for the individual, then, by
> > reaching out to those individuals we will be reinforcing both the individual
> > and those values. These groups are made up of individuals who want to be
> > seen and dealt with as such; and not as merely one expendable drop in a
> > massive sea."
> >
> > Not that this is wrong--it is totally right as far as it goes. But how
> > can we institutionally encourage this?
> >
> David,
>
> In very short: for a start we could begin by greatly improving how we talk
> to each other.
>
> There are very effective steps, and indeed entire programs, that could be
> instituted in the Project that would, in time, profoundly improve the very
> culture of the Project - which is what we are really talking about here.
>
> I have concrete proposals for implementing such programs. BUT, to lay them
> out here now would be a complete waste of time. BECAUSE, aside from you and
> a few others, most people on this List appear to believe that the culture of
> the Project is just fine as it is. To seriously discuss solutions to a
> problem, there must first be an agreement that such a problem exists.
>
> We keep talking about what Wikipedia is & is not. As we look to the future
> we should also be asking what else it could be.
>
> Marc
>
> >
> > On 10/9/07, K P <kpbotany at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> On 10/8/07, Marc Riddell <michaeldavid86 at comcast.net> wrote:
> >>> What does matter is the individual contributor's ability to interact in a
> >>> constructive way with another contributor.
> >> ....
> >>>
> >>> The problems are not with the Community, but with the individual members who
> >>> make up that community.
> >>>
> >>> Marc Riddell
> >>>
> >> Geeze, Marc, you just won't let go about personal responsibility, will you?
> >>
> >> On the other hand, when I act badly, I usually am the one to blame for
> >> it.  But it just seems so simple, in a way.
> >>
> >> KP

We can always create another mailing list, or a discussion project on
en.wikipedia or meta somewhere.

I agree that there are cultural issues, but my long experience with
internet culture makes me tend to think that there aren't real
"solutions" for them per se.  However, I am open to having my mind
changed on that point.


-- 
-george william herbert
george.herbert at gmail.com