Wikipedia:Imagine others complexly
This is an essay on civility. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
This page in a nutshell: Editors and people we write about are necessarily complex individuals and we generally do not get a complete picture of them. Although it is difficult, avoid reducing that complexity by resisting presumptions or excessive praise of an individual. |
In a speech written for the ALAN Conference, the American author
Automatic presumptions
Consider the following situation:
- A new editor requests that you help them completely rework their article on Articles for Creation, which is long and needs a lot of clean-up.
One reaction to this would be to ignore them on the basis that they've been given feedback and should be able to figure it out on their own. I mean, why should you do all the work? This person's long-winded article is probably going to be a drain on your time and your effort. It'll probably end up deleted anyway.
This is a common and automatic way to react; it's normal to view this situation from a self-serving perspective. But the thing is, there are all sorts of other ways to think about this situation, if you decide to. Maybe...
- ...the editor's primary language isn't English and they have a hard time understanding pages on notability.
- ...their article is largely unsourced because they live in an area of the world where web access is restricted.
- ...the person is indefinitely hospitalized and is just starting to learn Wikipedia so they don't have to mindlessly stare at grey-speckled walls all day.
And sure, perhaps none of these situations are likely. But they're also not impossible; it just depends on what you want to consider. Editors don't generally get to know one another on Wikipedia, so we usually don't know exactly what is going on.
Here's another example:
- An administrator is involved in a heated discussion over content and issues a bad block that clearly violates ANIand much discussion ensues.
Some of us have seen this situation unfold before, and it's incredibly easy to come rushing in on the de-sysopping bandwagon once a bad block has been confirmed. It's easy to allow yourself to start generalizing and
It is also easy to make snap judgments about
Avoid pedestaling
Praising and admiring good work on Wikipedia is generally encouraged as it promotes a supportive editing environment. But it is certainly possible to take these feelings too far. Editors on Wikipedia are not heroes. In addition to their talents, editors are real people with flaws, personal challenges, and mistakes that they struggle with. It is deeply unfair to place editors on a pedestal as though these qualities do not exist or are unimportant. Thinking of editors this way places unrealistic expectations on editing behavior and paints a false identity that they and others cannot possibly live up to. It completely misrepresents what it means to be human.
For instance, do not overwhelm a specific user with
Placing editors on pedestals can also occur when the editor
Is it easy to imagine others complexly?
No. But it is important, and worthwhile.
Similar ideas
There is a French contemporary philosopher Edgar Morin recognized for his work on complexity and "complex thought," which embrace the idiom "Imagine others complexly". Notably Edgar Morin published a book in French together with contemporary philosopher Tariq Ramadan where they address the complexity of the French identity in a mondialized world.[1]
See also
- Wikipedia:Please do not bite the newcomers
- Wikipedia:IPs are human too
- Wikipedia:Assume no clue
- This Is Water, a speech on similar themes by David Foster Wallace
- ^ Morin, Edgar, and Tariq Ramadan. Au péril des idées. Presses du Châtelet, 2014.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21546170-au-p-ril-des-id-es