Real Work? [was: IESG Statement On Oppressive or Exclusionary Language]

[Miles Fidelman <[e-mail]>]

It occurs to me to note that I have seen practically nothing else posted 
to the ietf list, in at least a month.

Has discussion of language completely crowded out discussions related to 
getting real work done?

I ask, because I note that such discussions have crowded out substantive 
issues on more than a few lists - including a number that I host - in 
some cases leading to fracturing of communities, and the death of projects.

It increasingly strikes me that discussions of politically correct 
language are a virus, destroying the ability of online (and possibly 
more than online) communities to work together.  One might almost wonder 
if there's a conspiracy at work - divide and conquer, leaving the world 
in the hands of whichever demagogues & talking heads are most effective 
at inflaming mobs.  (Or the hand of God rerunning the Tower of Babel 
scenario.)

It also seems to me, that our community - one that has provided the 
infrastructure that now ties the world together, once dedicated to 
interconnection, interoperability, resource sharing, and broad-based 
collaboration - is now falling victim to pressures that lead us back to 
tribalism, walled gardens, and echo chambers.

Call me a little sensitive at the moment - I just had to shut down a 
Facebook forum, as a choice between a commitment to free speech being 
abused by a very small number of self-righteous dogmatists polluting the 
"airwaves" to the extent that no useful discussion was possible (and 
driving me to emotional states & online behavior that I normally find 
repulsive - when I start enjoying poking the bear, to see it dance, I 
know things have gotten way out of hand).

There has to be a better way to engage with each other - online & off.  
Starting, perhaps, by applying Postel's law to our verbal & written 
behavior?

Miles Fidelman


-- 
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.  .... Yogi Berra

Theory is when you know everything but nothing works.
Practice is when everything works but no one knows why.
In our lab, theory and practice are combined:
nothing works and no one knows why.  ... unknown