From: "Blair P. Houghton"
<blair(a)houghton.net>
Consensus isn't something you obtain, demand, husband, or cite. It's
something that happens.
More typically, it is something you build based on discussion or debate.
Talk: pages are a great place for that.
Consensus follows action. To believe otherwise is to
obviate the prime
directive of Wikipedia, which is to '''be bold'''.
I hadn't heard "Be bold" referred to as Wikipedia's "prime
directive"
before; I'm not sure everyone here would agree. In any event, while I don't
know the details of this particular case, it amazes me how often people
attempting to make major, usually contentious, and often highly POV
re-writes to articles cite "Be bold", yet fail to note that the majority of
that policy is devoted to when you *should not* "Be bold". In particular,
much of the policy clearly points out that on disputed issues and
controversial subjects one should, instead, get consensus on Talk: pages
first.
The cooperative counterparts in a community of bold
people are those who
accept the boldness of those who are right, regardless of the prior
consensus.
I believe we are straying into "argument from silence" logical fallacy
territory here.
This concept of cooperation imbues every organization
that relies on the
truth.
Cooperation is something that comes from both sides; it cannot be
unilaterally imposed by "Bold" individuals.
Jay.