[WikiEN-l] The 3RR is an electric fence, not an entitlement.

Sat Oct 8 22:58:33 UTC 2005

-------------- Original message -------------- 
> On 10/8/05, steve v wrote: 
> > 
> > 
> > 2) that your (or other's) implied or stated assumption 
> > that tag-teaming an issue is simply an aspect of 
> > consensus is false down to its toe fungus. 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sorry that's simply incorrect. Your use of the term "tag teaming" here 
> is prejudicial and misrepresents what is happening: one person tries to 
> impose his will on an article while two or more oppose him. This is an 
> informal consensus, and the solo editor is ignoring that consensus. 

No, the solo editor may well be responding to that "consensus" on both
the talk page and the edit summaries.  That "consensus" on a backwater
article may have repeatedly beaten of editors trying to bring the same
kind of balance to an article.    That "consensus" may not therefore
even be the true "consensus" of that article if we integrated over
time.  

It may not be the true "consensus" that wikipedia would
have arrived at if the article had received the broader attention 
of the wikipedia community.    Even, if the true consensus
of the wikipedia community agreed with the local consensus
on a particular issue, they may not agree with the local consensus
that a minor point was one worth a revert war over.

Even, the true consensus of the wikipedia community may
be so biased by the over-representation of a certain POV,
that it is not the consensus a broader community would
have reached.

Your use of the term "consensus" is prejudicial and
misrepresents what is happening, there is a common
misperception that consensus decisions are more
likely to be correct or find the truth than individual
ones.  History has shown us that consensus decisions
need to be limited and checked as they can tend towards
the intelligence, fairness and justice of the mob.

         -- Silverback