Posted by SLS on February 23, 2008, at 5:51:44
In reply to Re: allowance for imperfection, posted by Dr. Bob on February 22, 2008, at 23:14:41
> > I think there should be less emphasis on the attainment of perfection and more allowance for imperfection.
>
> How much more imperfection?This question rests on the assumption that there is a lack of perfection on your part in governing already. How much more imperfection should you tolerate? I would suggest that since you recognize that there is a tolerance on your part for a certain degree of imperfection, that you perhaps tolerate more.
To be honest, I am in awe of your conception and implementation of civility. They really are close to being perfect. I don't mean to be unnecessarily flattering, but that is my opinion. Perhaps you have taken this into consideration already (I imagine you have), but I have seen, what is in my mind a tragic loss of novice and expert membership. I know being either type of member does not immunize one from being uncivil. Perhaps a perfect implementation of civility is de facto imperfect if the rate of attrition is greater than the retention of people posting.
I know what I wrote above is going to seem like the waffling of some politicians. However, I am truly conflicted over this issue; the issue being the density of PBCs and posting blocks versus the benefits to the community of a strict enforcement of your rules of civility.
I hope someone can convince me that the people who left the posting community of Psycho-Babble would have done so despite the advent of civility guidelines. Of course, I won't disclose the names of these fine people, but perhaps some of the continuous members to PB will remember them. I will say that I am quite happy to see that certain members have indeed posted this last week. They didn't all disappear.
How much imperfection? Enough to have prevented so many people from leaving. Unfortunately, I have no statistics. My appraisal of the numbers who have fled is necessarily subject to my own subjectivity. How you interpret your rules and their degree of enforcement can be subjective as well.
It is a matter of tolerance. It is a matter of degree. It is an issue of subjectivity inherent in human judgment. Perhaps you can deliberate the desirability of your degree of enforcement based upon your appraisal of the subjectivity that must accompany the human judgment of the behavior of human beings.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:812972
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20080204/msgs/814221.html