Getting started with pulling these threads of thought out of my noggin is always difficult. This one has been weighing on me for some time, and a lot of what has come out in mu's Smoky Back Room thread added more weight. It is time to clear it out of my mind and, perhaps, impose it on yours.
This intro leads the way into several other topics which will be numbered in sequence. These discussions will cover the obvious, along with that which may be a combination of subtle, obfuscated and/or generally ignored. Some of what is generally ignored may be uncomfortable. You have been warned.
I will be presenting following points for consideration and discussion in sequence:
1) We are a Member Owned forum, but we are not a Member Managed forum. The difference is not subtle. I will explain the differences and how we got here.
2) Some person, group or entity MUST ultimately hold responsibility for anything attached to the internet and available to the public. I will detail exactly what that responsibility entails, along with the problems and liabilities that can result from neglecting them.
3) In order to function, let alone thrive and survive, any community must have some kind of management. I will detail exactly how we are currently managed, and how the current management is responsible for the requirements of point 2.
4) Leadership is necessary for a society to deliberately progress and achieve goals. Leadership is not the same as functional management, and does not require special power or authority.
5) How could we (if we even want to) move from our current form of management to something closer to the ideal of being a member-managed as well as member-owned community?The bottom line to all of it is this:
What we are doing right now can sustain us as we are, which has been proved, and we can continue in this manner so long as there is no disruption to the current management team. What we are doing is also limiting our potential and is a far cry from the founding ideal of our being a community where the member-owners hold ultimately responsibility. We may not want to change, but without complete disclosure and a detailed understanding of the current structure and limitations, the membership doesn't have the information or knowledge required to discuss or dismiss the available options, let alone to explore novel and innovative approaches to make the most of what is available.
You are invited to comment on, question, discuss and/or dismiss each of these topics as they are presented, and are under no obligation whatsoever to do so or even to bother reading them. Even if nothing changes as a result of this effort, I will be able to rest comfortably knowing it has all been said in a way that should be accessible to all who may be interested. If nothing comes of this, it will be an informed choice of the Mortal Mist community rather than a default.
pj. . .
