[WikiEN-l] A concept from Buckminster Fuller

Fri Nov 22 21:25:15 UTC 2002

Larry Sanger wrote:
> > In dealing with problem members, we should ask ourselves: are we
> > shooing a wasp?  Is there a better way?
> 
> The upshot of this post is that the wise way (wise ways are made to seem
> so with parables and the like ;-) ) is not to kick members out, and that
> there is a better way.  (If your final question was not rhetorical, then
> what was the point of the post?)

My point is that better ways can be found, and have already been
found, and more will be found in the future.

>  This means that what we just got done
> reaffirming, that we should sometimes kick problem members out, is not
> the wise way.
> 
> But goddammit Jimbo, yes it most certainly is.  Sometimes you gotta use a
> nice big flyswatter and crush the wasp before it causes any further
> ruckus.  We know this already, from experience.

You have to use the flyswatter and crush the wasp *if that's the only
tool you have*.  If ways can be found to get the wasp to agree to
leave, with less fighting and fussing, then that's better for us.

--Jimbo