I wanted to share this awesome article with you by @thisismissem. It has been getting a lot of attention lately, and I totally get why. But you know what? There's this one snippet in there that really resonates with me on a personal level.
If you’re an instance administrator or moderator, I do urge you to try to keep the atmosphere of the Fediverse cooler: try to avoid publicly making call-outs and shamings. You might find that an email or a chat with the other person or team might resolve the issue more amicably. Not every administrator or moderator has all the context and historical knowledge that you do, and they may also be dealing with things that you are unaware of, so please, treat each other with kindness, even in the face of potential awfulness.
I just wanted to take a moment to share something that has been bothering me lately when it comes to how certain admins handle issues. It's not about complaining, but more about expressing my thoughts and hopefully finding a way to improve things.
So, over the past week, I've received what I can only describe as Fedidrama. But what bothers me the most is the lack of communication. It seems like some admins just jump straight to conclusions without even trying to reach out first. I mean, I didn't receive any messages on Matrix, no emails, no DMs... It's like they assumed the worst and didn't bother to ask me for any information or discuss their concerns with me.
To be honest, this approach doesn't feel right to me. I understand that nobody owes me anything in terms of connecting with my server(s), but if someone is going to assume bad intentions, shouldn't they at least talk to me to confirm if that's the case? It's only fair, right?
On a more personal note, I have to admit that Fedidrama doesn't bring me any joy. I'm not the type of person who eagerly watches drama unfold and asks for more popcorn. In fact, it actually stresses me out, especially at times like this when I've been dealing with health scares. However, I feel a sense of duty and obligation because I have a larger goal in mind: creating a better Fediverse.
But let's not dwell on what has already happened. If there's one piece of life advice I think is worth sharing, it's this: as an admin, it's important not to get caught up in unnecessary conflicts. Even if you win and prove yourself right, you'll still end up smelling like... well, you know. And let's face it, nobody enjoys being around someone who smells bad.
What we, as admins, need is a bit of sanity. We should assume a baseline of good faith and stop seeing other server administrators as adversaries by default. Unless I explicitly state otherwise, please assume that I am NOT your enemy.
Together, let's work towards building a better Fediverse and fostering a more positive and supportive community.
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