Constructive criticism vs verbal abuse

[xcriteria]

(04-25-2014 07:57 AM)SoulRiser Wrote:  

Quote:Which is kinda what we are doing, however Soul, I do think at somepoint we shall return to the hey day of SS

We're not too far off, really.

I think we're in a position to do more than that.

(Wall of text explanation omitted, for now.)

On the topic of this thread, though... I think one solution to negativity is to appeal to people's actual goals and objectives, beyond their participation on a forum. What do they want or need in life? What are they running away from?

Beyond the momentary experience of interaction (which has a value in itself), what purpose do their responses serve? And what are they trying to build, or tear down, in a bigger picture sense?

It can be hard to frame things in those terms in the midst of a heated (or chaotic) forum thread. But, if people pull themselves off the page, discuss backstory, identity, and plans for the future, and ask what they're doing in general, I think it can go a long way to avoiding these patterns of verbal abuse.

It's one thing to engage in constructive criticism... but it's another to go beyond that to building something new... to building on what someone else said, to making a meaningful link to another topic or thought, and the like. I suppose many of us haven't seen that kind of interaction modeled, especially in Internet=based discussions.

But that's one thing I've experienced and learned from in my interactions on G+ over the past 18 months. Come to think of it, that might be something to put into a guide of sorts.

Even with those more constructive approaches to conversation, though, there's the question of how to help people beyond providing basic support, information, and advice... or constructive criticism. (And, even when it comes to those things, there's the question of how to better do them!)

In short, it will be interesting to see what comes of all the new things that are possible in 2014 and beyond, versus the previous heyday of SS...