We've had
pleas for civility,
Atlan rules for the forum, and various other proposals for order in the forum. Although I prefer a democratic, free forum where no rigid rules are in place (aside from, of course, legal considerations), I also find it helpful to incorporate general techniques that facilitate cooperation and constructive collaboration, rather than groupthink or libel (and yes, forum writings are libel and not slander).
As such, I intend this thread to be a collection of "fatawa", which are distinct from "laws" in that they are issued by the governing body. If you have a pet peeve about nonconstructive behaviour on this forum, please issue a "fatwa". I hope this thread to be education to all of us, even if we do not agree. The term "fatwa" originates from Arabic (فتوى), is properly pluralized "fatawa", and although it does not have a direct English translation, it means something akin to "opinion" or "advice", but more formally. Although fatawa are often in relation to Islam, they do not necessarily have to be—fatawa can just as easily be used secularly. Fatawa are not rules, but rather opinions of the issuer that promote healthy societies.
To start off, my fatwa for the day is inspired by recent events.
Fatwa 2013-01-06
I believe that BitcoinTalk members should respond, not react.
The recent events involving controversial user torac have brought the importance of this to light. Rather than remaining calm, devising a solution, and informing his customers accordingly, torac elected to enter a temper tantrum, in the process destroying whatever reputation he had. His reaction was rushed and nonconstructive. It was a waste of time to react, as it did not grant him any concessions—in fact, it did the opposite.
Anger is a powerful emotion, and displaying it causes other powerful emotions. Many healthy threads degenerate because of angry and rushed remarks.
To avoid this in the future, angry BitcoinTalk users should first consider the situation, take time off, and prepare a civil response that promotes positive and constructive communication. Well thought-out responses invite intelligent counterresponses, while rushed reactions only invite emotional flame-wars. This common childhood moral is equally applicable to an online forum.
