Paul CantrellNov 22, 2022

Moderation is a hard problem.

It is an •intrinsically• hard problem. It’s not hard because of design choices or tech choices or incentives or laws or capitalism. It’s hard because humans.

Ignoring it doesn’t magically make it easy.

Grand edicts don’t magically make it easy.

AI doesn’t magically make it easy.

And federation doesn’t magically make it easy.

It’s •work•. Real work. And when that work doesn’t happen, it causes harm.

@mekkaokereke
https://hachyderm.io/@mekkaokereke/109387434218657900

mekka okereke :verified: (@[email protected])

Content warning: Racism, death threats, anti-Semitism, homophobia

Hachyderm.io
Show threadPaul CantrellNov 22, 2022
@mekkaokereke Replies to concerns like mekka’s with anything of the form “it’s easy!” or “you just have to…” indicate that the person replying does not yet understand the problem.
Show threadPaul CantrellNov 22, 2022

Fellow software developers, does anything make you want to start punching faces faster than questions from your stakeholders that start with “Can’t you just…?”

Don’t be that person. You know that other people think your problems are small because they’re at a distance, because they don’t even understand what the problem is. This principle applies to you too.

Show threadPaul CantrellNov 22, 2022

Every time “Can’t you just” starts to come out of your mouth, that is a cue to:

1. STOP
2. repeat to yourself, “I do not understand”
3. and then listen.

Practice the habit in advance, so you’re ready in the moment. I’ve certainly found •I• have to. It is so hard to tame this unhelpful reflex! But it’s also possible.

Show threadPaul Cantrell

The general principle is “respond with curiosity instead of judgement.”

I’ve found this to be life-changing.

Nov 22, 2022 at 3:14pmWeb
Show threadGenghisKen CoarNov 22, 2022
@inthehands
I've found that people generally listen in order to understand; they listen in order to reply.
Show threadHeike NaumannNov 22, 2022
@inthehands This is so very true. I should really get better at that. Thanks! 🌺
Show threadPaul CantrellNov 22, 2022
@Heike_Naumann I don’t think there’s a human alive who doesn’t need to work on this.