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

[Samuel Klein]

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.

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.

-- 
Samuel Klein          identi.ca:sj           w:user:sj          +1 617 529 4266