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To the surprise of nobody whose worked on any collaborative projects at scale β people with toxic styles of engagement burn out the people actually doing the work and negatively affect the entire project. This paper is specifically about Wikipedia, but like no shot this doesnβt apply to open source as well: https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/2/12/pgad385/7457939 24 comments
 @zl2tod @yosh @yosh I've edited on wikipedia for 15 years and, especially in the beginning, I did my share of assho - er, toxic interactions. I know I drove away one editor. There's something about the anonymity of online typing that brings out the jerk in people.  @GraniteGeek @yosh The thing has a name! It is called The Greater Internet Fuckwit Theory. That's a technical term. π³ It is caused by the removal of the ability to punch people in the mouth. I mean, the lack of physical presence makes it easy to dehumanise the other. Plus they can't thump you.  @yosh we still think we can work together to get toxic contributors (or community members who steal our work) to leave. (maybe "by any means necessary" isn't the best approach, but also... we think we ran out of options tbh.) @yosh As a manager, I had to terminate someone who was talented but also toxic (as in, people coming to my office in tears over what that person had done to them). My management chain at the time supported me but they were replaced by others who held the situation against *me* and ultimately pushed me out. I think they only saw the talent and not the toxicity. In other words, this shouldn't be a hard problem to solve but often is. @newsgoth @yosh In one exit interview I had to be very careful not to throw my boss under the bus and suggest delicately instead, "Well... She didn't seem very surprised by ToxicBro's behavior." HR was clearly quivering over a potential lawsuit like "how can we change your mind?" IDK be less sexist, this ain't my problem anymore, the movers are called, you have long known the bro who is the problem. Do better next time, byeee.  @yosh This explains why in my solitude as 100% work from home, Ive not even come close to burning out in comparison to the q6 months cycle of in person drag.  @yosh I bin people into three groups: assholes, people who tolerate assholes, and people who don't tolerate assholes. You have to choose between the latter and the former. Not enforcing your choice means you get assholes. @yosh I feel like in my experience this is all true in contributing to Wikipedia, contributing to the coding/design of Mastodon, posting on Mastodon........ @yosh Absolutely true for me. I found Wikipedia to be an extremely toxic environment, and quickly abandoned any ideas about being a regular editor. @yosh this is easy to forget but so important when thinking about how to handle early signs of toxicity in community members.  Such workplaces have demonstrated higher employee turnover, higher recruiting costs, higher absenteeism, higher medical care costs, and even higher rates of heart attacks & strokes with such individuals. Negative people spoil it for everyone. Adopt a private & personal credo of "The No Asshole Rule" and improve the quality of life for everyone.   @yosh will attest that it occurs frequently in my experience in volunteer organizations of all kinds. |
Gregory's Server
@yosh
I've never had any non-toxic engagement from wikipedia editors.
From my perspective wikipedia's culture is toxic.