This page contains material that is kept because it is considered
humorous. Such material is not meant to be taken seriously. |
Pink Ponies and Magic Unicorns are imaginary. Sometimes people like to think they are real. It is one thing to wish or pretend they were real; it's another altogether to promote their reality on wikipedia. We can all have fun and enjoy lighthearted moments, but when someone is not here to build the encyclopedia, that can be a problem. I find the Dunning–Kruger effect interesting—that the knowledgeable have self-doubt, knowing the limits of their expertise, while those who who are free of self-doubt often are those who may think they are experts—but aren't.
So, present a good faith viewpoint with respect; in turn know that I do consider if you are right and I am wrong. If people want to discuss something on my talk page, I am open to posts that open a useful discussion. However, accusing me or another editor of being an Evil reptilian kitten-eater from another planet is a personal attack and best avoided. Best policy is to Assume good faith. l personally am open to being trouted if I overstep.
These edits drew my attention for various reasons and are a "what not to do" list.
Horse articles attract their own unique form of inappropriate edits. Pink ponies, magic unicorns and the like, they're EVERYWHERE!
Jacklopes (So why do I have jackalope on my watchlist, anyway? Oh, right, I'm from Montana) More on jackalopes
Edit wars erupt over the topic of who is or is not the greatest race horse of all time. **Headdesk** samples:
A not-so-magic wiki-creature is the variant of the internet troll, an individual who makes edits that are disruptive and mean-spirited. They are not here to improve the encyclopedia. Some trolling is simple disruption, expressing general hostility or lack of clue about appropriate ways to express frustration or disagreement. Usually this is temporary and can be remedied by application of some form of education or disciplinary action. But other behavior goes beyond mere vandalism or immaturity. Some edits create a toxic atmosphere on wikipedia, both in terms of increasing systemic bias and by outright harassment of other users. Other forms of trolling reflects an underlying philosophy or bias that treats some human beings with disrespect based on their membership in a group. A third type is a personal vendetta against another editor or group of editors who the troll views as a target for revenge or "punishment."
Although there is much wisdom in not feeding the trolls and to deny recognition, other times, an individual who is attention-seeking will only up the ante if ignored, so prompt action is best. Other forms of trolling, particularly involving personal attacks or BLP violations can cause a great deal of harm if not stopped.
Some trolls can be reformed as they develop an understanding that their behavior has real-world impact on the feelings and lives of the people they target. Simple maturation sometimes reforms a troll into a useful editor. Other trolls cannot be reformed because the impact of their actions on others is what motivates them; knowing they are doing harm is their inspiration. At first glance, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two; only over time does a pattern emerge. On Wikipedia, the best approach is usually to simply address the behavior as it happens; do not attribute motive. As behavior issues are addressed, the individual who realizes they need to reform will, over time, alter their behavior. The individual who does not choose to change their behavior will use any tactic they can think of to continue their disruption or repeat their actions until they are blocked.
There are situations where bad behavior is temporary or superficial, but it does not reflect a long-term problem. Anyone can be temporarily frustrated or brought to the boiling point by circumstances on- or off-wiki and have a momentary lapse in judgement. A person who is generally well-meaning might behave badly due to health, personal circumstances, or even WP:Editing under the influence. Some individuals also have a cyclical problem that ebbs and flows, but the individual is still not a troll; they may be more stressed at certain times of year due to seasonal affective disorder, the "anniversary" date of a sad memory, or even just dealing with cyclical life circumstances (such as a change in a work schedule from days to graveyard shifts). This does not give someone a free pass to violate the rules and norms of wikipedia, but it is a case for a proportional response — a 24-hour block, not an indefinite one.
It has been said by some retired users that "wikipedia never forgets or forgives." This is a legitimate criticism of Wikipedia; some people can and should be forgiven for mistakes made 10 years ago. In addition, some people edit in areas or have a personal passion for a topic which will periodically bring them into conflict and this is not going to change. The difference between the true "troll" and the merely difficult personality is, ultimately, if the person is here to improve the encyclopedia or if they are here to harm others. No one is exempt from appropriate consequences for a specific wrong action, but there is a very clear line between the person who makes a human mistake and the troll who feeds off of the pain of others.
This page contains material that is kept because it is considered
humorous. Such material is not meant to be taken seriously. |
Pink Ponies and Magic Unicorns are imaginary. Sometimes people like to think they are real. It is one thing to wish or pretend they were real; it's another altogether to promote their reality on wikipedia. We can all have fun and enjoy lighthearted moments, but when someone is not here to build the encyclopedia, that can be a problem. I find the Dunning–Kruger effect interesting—that the knowledgeable have self-doubt, knowing the limits of their expertise, while those who who are free of self-doubt often are those who may think they are experts—but aren't.
So, present a good faith viewpoint with respect; in turn know that I do consider if you are right and I am wrong. If people want to discuss something on my talk page, I am open to posts that open a useful discussion. However, accusing me or another editor of being an Evil reptilian kitten-eater from another planet is a personal attack and best avoided. Best policy is to Assume good faith. l personally am open to being trouted if I overstep.
These edits drew my attention for various reasons and are a "what not to do" list.
Horse articles attract their own unique form of inappropriate edits. Pink ponies, magic unicorns and the like, they're EVERYWHERE!
Jacklopes (So why do I have jackalope on my watchlist, anyway? Oh, right, I'm from Montana) More on jackalopes
Edit wars erupt over the topic of who is or is not the greatest race horse of all time. **Headdesk** samples:
A not-so-magic wiki-creature is the variant of the internet troll, an individual who makes edits that are disruptive and mean-spirited. They are not here to improve the encyclopedia. Some trolling is simple disruption, expressing general hostility or lack of clue about appropriate ways to express frustration or disagreement. Usually this is temporary and can be remedied by application of some form of education or disciplinary action. But other behavior goes beyond mere vandalism or immaturity. Some edits create a toxic atmosphere on wikipedia, both in terms of increasing systemic bias and by outright harassment of other users. Other forms of trolling reflects an underlying philosophy or bias that treats some human beings with disrespect based on their membership in a group. A third type is a personal vendetta against another editor or group of editors who the troll views as a target for revenge or "punishment."
Although there is much wisdom in not feeding the trolls and to deny recognition, other times, an individual who is attention-seeking will only up the ante if ignored, so prompt action is best. Other forms of trolling, particularly involving personal attacks or BLP violations can cause a great deal of harm if not stopped.
Some trolls can be reformed as they develop an understanding that their behavior has real-world impact on the feelings and lives of the people they target. Simple maturation sometimes reforms a troll into a useful editor. Other trolls cannot be reformed because the impact of their actions on others is what motivates them; knowing they are doing harm is their inspiration. At first glance, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two; only over time does a pattern emerge. On Wikipedia, the best approach is usually to simply address the behavior as it happens; do not attribute motive. As behavior issues are addressed, the individual who realizes they need to reform will, over time, alter their behavior. The individual who does not choose to change their behavior will use any tactic they can think of to continue their disruption or repeat their actions until they are blocked.
There are situations where bad behavior is temporary or superficial, but it does not reflect a long-term problem. Anyone can be temporarily frustrated or brought to the boiling point by circumstances on- or off-wiki and have a momentary lapse in judgement. A person who is generally well-meaning might behave badly due to health, personal circumstances, or even WP:Editing under the influence. Some individuals also have a cyclical problem that ebbs and flows, but the individual is still not a troll; they may be more stressed at certain times of year due to seasonal affective disorder, the "anniversary" date of a sad memory, or even just dealing with cyclical life circumstances (such as a change in a work schedule from days to graveyard shifts). This does not give someone a free pass to violate the rules and norms of wikipedia, but it is a case for a proportional response — a 24-hour block, not an indefinite one.
It has been said by some retired users that "wikipedia never forgets or forgives." This is a legitimate criticism of Wikipedia; some people can and should be forgiven for mistakes made 10 years ago. In addition, some people edit in areas or have a personal passion for a topic which will periodically bring them into conflict and this is not going to change. The difference between the true "troll" and the merely difficult personality is, ultimately, if the person is here to improve the encyclopedia or if they are here to harm others. No one is exempt from appropriate consequences for a specific wrong action, but there is a very clear line between the person who makes a human mistake and the troll who feeds off of the pain of others.