at the risk of stirring up trouble im going to try to be as respectful as possible here but i'm hoping it is understandable why it's disconcerting that multiple people now have admitted they are afraid of asking honest questions here at the risk of being jailed, especially when the questions asked are rational ones. that doesn't say reassuring things about the environment being cultivated between staff and users, and people should not be afraid to ask for clarification.
something being inconvenient to answer isn't an opportunity to become angry and buckle down, it's an opportunity to reflect on WHY the urge to deflect or ignore discussion is there. you know what i mean?
it's a rational sort of confusion to have, with this apology being posted publically but the user in question never once being notified. whether or not she saw it doesn't really matter-- the problem lies in the fact that nobody wanted to alert her, which makes the tone of this apology feel legitimately concerning, especially in the context of it being so widely public.
i have been in situations like this before, where someone did something hurtful and, once they realized their actions were being scrutinized, they publicized their apologies as widely as they could-- without contacting me at all. it's a tactful move that more or less quiets the person being apologized to, because they're confined by the politeness of social contracts not to draw it out further. it's not the most respectful move and it doesn't say anything flattering in the interest of communication.
and all of that is to say the amount of contention here-- to the point users have been jailed several times now across multiple threads for asking honest questions-- is not healthy. at some point there needs to be an honest discussion about the kind of environment you want to cultivate in an online community, and whether this is really the best way to do it. constructive criticism cannot be taken this personally or there is no room for growth at all.
something being inconvenient to answer isn't an opportunity to become angry and buckle down, it's an opportunity to reflect on WHY the urge to deflect or ignore discussion is there. you know what i mean?
it's a rational sort of confusion to have, with this apology being posted publically but the user in question never once being notified. whether or not she saw it doesn't really matter-- the problem lies in the fact that nobody wanted to alert her, which makes the tone of this apology feel legitimately concerning, especially in the context of it being so widely public.
i have been in situations like this before, where someone did something hurtful and, once they realized their actions were being scrutinized, they publicized their apologies as widely as they could-- without contacting me at all. it's a tactful move that more or less quiets the person being apologized to, because they're confined by the politeness of social contracts not to draw it out further. it's not the most respectful move and it doesn't say anything flattering in the interest of communication.
and all of that is to say the amount of contention here-- to the point users have been jailed several times now across multiple threads for asking honest questions-- is not healthy. at some point there needs to be an honest discussion about the kind of environment you want to cultivate in an online community, and whether this is really the best way to do it. constructive criticism cannot be taken this personally or there is no room for growth at all.
