Thoughts on UKG (and other mass mail lists too)

[davywavy]

Posted as an answer to one of Steve Claptons posts, but repeated here.

I think UKG has become of decreasing use and worth to the society as we have grown. It is handy as an annoucement board for games and society business, but I'd say that the quality of general debate has declined as the cam has grown, to the extent where it is now of very little worth to read long threads. Too many cooks spoiling the broth and all that. I'd say it's incorrect to use it as a gauge as to the feelings of the membership, as not only are most of the membership not on it, but most of the membership (even the ones who are on it) *don't care*.
Very often, it is the same people - perhaps a dozen or so - venting at one another and trying to score points. Perhaps the greatest use of UKG is to judging the mood of the society is that it gives a fairly accurate impression of what the 10% at the extreme end of any argument are thinking, and that most people are somewhere in between, clustering round the 'couldn't give a toss' pole somewhere in the middle.
To find out what people are thinking, I've always gone with Napoleon: "If you want an argument, get a group. If you want to know what people think, ask them as individuals." He was right.

Comments

Re: Hmph

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Once again, I disagree.

Like I said elsewhere, my phone number, as NC, was freely available to all members.
An officer who is not easily available to any member to whom they are responsible is not doing their officerial job properly. Far too often the channels are a handy thing to hide behind for officers who don't want that degree oof access.

I tried to set a precedent that officers should be available. Sadly, few seem to have taken the hint.

Re: Hmph

[thoabath.livejournal.com]

Might be a matter of scale... I don't want nearly five thousand members having the ability to call me at a moment's notice. :) Also, a matter of job description... NC and ANST handle two very different set of job duties. But I'm on several dozen email lists, I've created a second LiveJournal, usanstmage, solely for Camarilla duties, I participate on the WW Forums, I've had business cards with email and URL printed for distribution at Regional and Nationals, and I've been more than happy to give my Coordinator and ST superior contact information on request.

I am available. For discussion. Not for being ranted at.