About the sequence of options on the wiki poll:

One of the features of a wiki (though some consider it a bug) is that any reader who seriously doesn't like some aspect of a page (in this case, of a poll) can simply change it.

Yes, it's nice if a major change involves some discussion first, though it is not required. Absent the discussion, though, a change is only a problem if other users themselves seriously object to it, for they can likewise change it back. At this point the most common thing is that discussion starts. If a change war starts, ultimately, moderator intervention can become necessary. That is rare.

So if a user thinks the sequence is inappropriate, probably the most efficient response is to change it. If the user is right (i.e., the sequence will skew the results), then this is potentially a problem with the poll itself and changing it will either fix it, or bring the fact out for discussion. If the user is wrong, it is also a reasonable outcome that nobody else thinks the sequence matters, in which case no further interaction is required on the issue.

We are accustomed to complaining about things we don't like. Certainly that's not always unreasonable, but when we can actually make the change ourselves, it does become a little ... whiny? ... to complain about it. The state of nature is, in matters like this, disarray. Complaining about the state of nature is like complaining about being born.

(This is not intended to criticize any individual, but to point out something that I think important in considering political organization. The usual problem is the non-existence of a desirable organization, and complaining about that is tantamount to complaining about the state of nature. Not terribly functional, unless it leads to organizing action. Which it usually doesn't.)


----
Election-methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info

Reply via email to