[WikiEN-l] Troll Silent, Troll Deep

Fri May 7 17:57:50 UTC 2004

Fred Bauder wrote:

>The current policy on blocking provides that users with names that are
>objectionable to at least "some" users can be blocked after refusal to
>select another name. I have been treatening to block [[Troll Silent, Troll
>Deep]] under that policy but am awaiting a decision in JRR Trollkien. See
>TSTD's talk page. JRR Trollkien was unblocked so he could participate in
>arbitration. By the way, it is only the name not the user who would be
>blocked.
>
This is far removed from objectionable names.  That had to do with names 
that were broadly objectionable for political, religious or obscenity 
grounds.  "Troll" doesn't fall into any of these categories.  From what 
I can see these individuals have done nothing more offensive than to 
choose names that are not approved by a self-appointed cabal of 
constipated con-troll freaks.  If they have engaged in other 
misbehaviour that would be a separate matter which should be judged on 
its own merits.

By creating this alleged policy you generate a whole new class of 
offended people who will quite rightly take steps to challenge the 
policy, such as by choosing names that include "troll".

Are all of these so-called policies really valid?  They are mostly 
driven my people with an axe to grind, and ignored by the rest of us who 
prefer to spend our time constructively.  This is bound to produce 
biased votes.

Democratic principles are fine with me until I start to realize that the 
old benevolent monarch is being replaced by a cadre of crypto-dictators 
who have banned benevolence from their vocabularies.

Or from the 12th Hexagram of the I Ching (Wilhelm/Baynes edition)
    Heaven and earth do not unite;
    The image of STANDSTILL.
    Thus the superior man falls back upon his inner worth
    In order to escape the difficulties.
    He does not permit himself to be honored with revenue.

And in Wilhelm's commentary thereon

    "When, owing to the influence of inferior men, mutual mistrust
    prevails in public life, fruitful activity is rendered impossible,
    because the fundaments are wrong.  Therefore the superior man knows
    what he must do under such circumstances; he does not allow himself
    to be tempted by dazzling offers to take part in public activities.
     This would only expose him to danger, since he cannot assent to the
    meanness of the others.  Hetherefore hides his worth and withdraws
    into seclusion."

Ec