Changes

[[File:800px-Sentados a la mesa en Can Masdeu.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Can Masdeu community]]

[[File:Sentados a la mesa en Can Masdeu.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Can Masdeu community]]

A '''civilized community''' is one which tolerates eccentricity to the point of doubtful sanity ([http://www.brainyquote.com/words/ci/civilized144393.html Robert Frost cit. in Famous Quotes and Quotations]). A civilized community is well organized and developed, civilized life is conducted according to rational principles, and has fair rules and customs. Whether a community is civilized or not is determined by the kind of people that comprise it. People with a high level of courtesy, decency, reverence, privacy, independence, respect, and dignity. Most of those contributing today have never experienced the heights of a civilized culture, and have no way to gage the depths of decay and corruption that prevail today. Articles and article quality cannot exist where there is not a high probability that those who contribute and improve will be permitted to enjoy. That security comes from knowing that users can depend on principles like fairness, integrity, honesty, human dignity, service, quality or excellence, potential, growth, patience, nurturance, and encouragement. By centering participation on timeless, unchanging principles, users create a fundamental paradigm of effective contributing.

A '''civilized community''' is one which tolerates eccentricity to the point of doubtful sanity ([http://www.brainyquote.com/words/ci/civilized144393.html Robert Frost cit. in Famous Quotes and Quotations]). A civilized community is well organized and developed, civilized life is conducted according to rational principles, and has fair rules and customs. Whether a community is civilized or not is determined by the kind of people that comprise it. People with a high level of courtesy, decency, reverence, privacy, independence, respect, and dignity. Most of those contributing today have never experienced the heights of a civilized culture, and have no way to gage the depths of decay and corruption that prevail today. Articles and article quality cannot exist where there is not a high probability that those who contribute and improve will be permitted to enjoy. That security comes from knowing that users can depend on principles like fairness, integrity, honesty, human dignity, service, quality or excellence, potential, growth, patience, nurturance, and encouragement. By centering participation on timeless, unchanging principles, users create a fundamental paradigm of effective contributing.

Civilization has co-evolved along with the elaboration of hierarchy. Hierarchies are aggrandizing and secretive, and they are controlled internally by cliques whose agenda is not necessarily in alignment with the presumed mission of the community. Hence community civilization will always be at risk, and every user is prudent to regard the threats to it with unique seriousness. Every rational human being is in a moral sense free, capable of reacting to moral absolutes, and of opting for good or evil. It follows from this that certain acts are intrinsically, always and everywhere wrong. Democracy is an important factor in the publishing success of a community, and especially in its editing-standards. However, democracy means the ability to remove an administration or to punish misjudgment by votes alone. The rule of law is essential, not merely to preserve liberty, but to increase publishing. The individual must be protected against user groups. The welfare of the average user is probably the best index of the health of a community as a whole. Any system which persecutes its average users systematically is unlikely to remain either free or grow for long. When claims of freedom conflict with the pursuit of other desirable objects of policy, freedom should normally prevail; a community should have a rational and an emotional disposition in its favor. The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant. The correct and honorable use of words is the first and natural credential of civilized status. Trust true science, based on objectively established criteria and agreed foundations, with a rational methodology and mature criteria of proof. The pursuit of truth is civilization's glory, and the joy obtained from it is the nearest one shall approach to happiness, at least on this side of the grave. If one is steadfast in this aim, there's no need to fear the enemies of community.

Civilization has co-evolved along with the elaboration of hierarchy. Hierarchies are aggrandizing and secretive, and they are controlled internally by cliques whose agenda is not necessarily in alignment with the presumed mission of the community. Hence community civilization will always be at risk, and every user is prudent to regard the threats to it with unique seriousness. Every rational human being is in a moral sense free, capable of reacting to moral absolutes, and of opting for good or evil. It follows from this that certain acts are intrinsically, always and everywhere wrong. Democracy is an important factor in the publishing success of a community, and especially in its editing-standards. However, democracy means the ability to remove an administration or to punish misjudgment by votes alone. The rule of law is essential, not merely to preserve liberty, but to increase publishing. The individual must be protected against user groups. The welfare of the average user is probably the best index of the health of a community as a whole. Any system which persecutes its average users systematically is unlikely to remain either free or grow for long. When claims of freedom conflict with the pursuit of other desirable objects of policy, freedom should normally prevail; a community should have a rational and an emotional disposition in its favor. The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not sufficient warrant. The correct and honorable use of words is the first and natural credential of civilized status. Trust true science, based on objectively established criteria and agreed foundations, with a rational methodology and mature criteria of proof. The pursuit of truth is civilization's glory, and the joy obtained from it is the nearest one shall approach to happiness, at least on this side of the grave. If one is steadfast in this aim, there's no need to fear the enemies of community.

[[File:800px-Four freedoms human rights.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Four Freedoms]]

[[File:Four freedoms human rights.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Four Freedoms]]

Reflected in individual's relationship with the collective and the community, the relativity of human rights means relationship between rights and responsibility, and human rights and policies. Infringing other’s rights when realizing one's own rights is unacceptable. When respect for the rules disappears, and powerful people or groups can break the rules with impunity, then the community no longer is civilized. Even when the outward form of the rules is maintained, but the respect for the rules is gone and people feel only the need to make a pretense of being ruled by them while ignoring their spirit, then their community can only pretend to be civilized. There's worse than a lack of respect for the rules. That is using the power of the rules in an unruly way. That is tyranny. Insofar as hate-mongering activities can have a harmful impact on the target for hate and/or on inter-group relations in the community, then such activities clearly constitute acts of discrimination. The uncontrolled harassment of minority target groups and the uncontrolled repetition of falsehoods and pseudo-facts can leave behind a residue of prejudice and hate among (non-target) recipients - a seed bed from which more widespread incitement to hate and harm can flourish. Invalidation myths are falsified statements which allege that identified users are innately inferior or invalid (defective) with regard to particular human attributes. Typically, pseudo-scientific and/or pseudo-religious "evidence" of minority inferiority or dangerousness is manipulated in order to justify violations of minority rights. Evidence is widely available from current hate messages that some users are set apart in terms of contrast conceptions of WE - the pure, virtuous, builders of the project, versus THEY - the corrupt, evil, heathen alien intruders, bringing decay and ruin to our superior way of editing. The argument of invalidation "demonstrates" that THEY pose a serious threat to OUR superior community. This threat, it is urgently argued must be stopped. The audience is urged to take immediate, concerted action to remove the alien threat by disempowering, expelling and/or annihilating minority users singled out as the source of the threat. By so doing, hate-mongering messages incite against targeted minority users and thereby violates their fundamental human rights to dignity and equality by denying their fundamental freedom from vilification, harassment, and harm.

Reflected in individual's relationship with the collective and the community, the relativity of human rights means relationship between rights and responsibility, and human rights and policies. Infringing other’s rights when realizing one's own rights is unacceptable. When respect for the rules disappears, and powerful people or groups can break the rules with impunity, then the community no longer is civilized. Even when the outward form of the rules is maintained, but the respect for the rules is gone and people feel only the need to make a pretense of being ruled by them while ignoring their spirit, then their community can only pretend to be civilized. There's worse than a lack of respect for the rules. That is using the power of the rules in an unruly way. That is tyranny. Insofar as hate-mongering activities can have a harmful impact on the target for hate and/or on inter-group relations in the community, then such activities clearly constitute acts of discrimination. The uncontrolled harassment of minority target groups and the uncontrolled repetition of falsehoods and pseudo-facts can leave behind a residue of prejudice and hate among (non-target) recipients - a seed bed from which more widespread incitement to hate and harm can flourish. Invalidation myths are falsified statements which allege that identified users are innately inferior or invalid (defective) with regard to particular human attributes. Typically, pseudo-scientific and/or pseudo-religious "evidence" of minority inferiority or dangerousness is manipulated in order to justify violations of minority rights. Evidence is widely available from current hate messages that some users are set apart in terms of contrast conceptions of WE - the pure, virtuous, builders of the project, versus THEY - the corrupt, evil, heathen alien intruders, bringing decay and ruin to our superior way of editing. The argument of invalidation "demonstrates" that THEY pose a serious threat to OUR superior community. This threat, it is urgently argued must be stopped. The audience is urged to take immediate, concerted action to remove the alien threat by disempowering, expelling and/or annihilating minority users singled out as the source of the threat. By so doing, hate-mongering messages incite against targeted minority users and thereby violates their fundamental human rights to dignity and equality by denying their fundamental freedom from vilification, harassment, and harm.

== The wonderful fruits of the tree of knowledge ==

== The wonderful fruits of the tree of knowledge ==

[[File:800px-Cole Thomas Expulsion from the Garden of Eden 1828.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Expulsion from the Garden of Eden<br>(Thomas Cole, 1828)]]

[[File:Cole Thomas Expulsion from the Garden of Eden 1828.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Expulsion from the Garden of Eden<br>(Thomas Cole, 1828)]]

Users are all born whole and, it is hoped, will die whole. But somewhere early on their way, they eat one of the wonderful fruits of the tree of knowledge, things separate into good and evil, and they begin the shadow-making process; they divide their lives. In the cultural process they sort out their natural characteristics into those that are acceptable to the community and those that have to be put away. This is wonderful and necessary, and there would be no civilized behavior without this sorting out of good and evil. But the refused and unacceptable characteristics do not go away; they only collect in the dark corners of their personality. When they have been hidden long enough, they take on a life of their own -- the shadow life. The shadow is that which has not entered adequately into consciousness. It is the despised quarter of their being. It often has an energy potential nearly as great as that of their ego. If it accumulates more energy than their ego, it erupts as an overpowering rage or some indiscretion that slips past them; or they have a depression or an accident that seems to have its own purpose. The shadow gone autonomous is a terrible monster in their psychic house (Johnson, 1991 cit. in IloveUlove.com).

Users are all born whole and, it is hoped, will die whole. But somewhere early on their way, they eat one of the wonderful fruits of the tree of knowledge, things separate into good and evil, and they begin the shadow-making process; they divide their lives. In the cultural process they sort out their natural characteristics into those that are acceptable to the community and those that have to be put away. This is wonderful and necessary, and there would be no civilized behavior without this sorting out of good and evil. But the refused and unacceptable characteristics do not go away; they only collect in the dark corners of their personality. When they have been hidden long enough, they take on a life of their own -- the shadow life. The shadow is that which has not entered adequately into consciousness. It is the despised quarter of their being. It often has an energy potential nearly as great as that of their ego. If it accumulates more energy than their ego, it erupts as an overpowering rage or some indiscretion that slips past them; or they have a depression or an accident that seems to have its own purpose. The shadow gone autonomous is a terrible monster in their psychic house (Johnson, 1991 cit. in IloveUlove.com).

== A principle-system ==

== A principle-system ==

[[File:800px-Flag of Europe.svg.png|thumb|300px|right|The flag of the European Union]]

[[File:Flag of Europe.svg.png|thumb|300px|right|The flag of the European Union]]

There is another characteristic of a civilized community which is fundamental, and that is the rule of law. A truly civilized community must have a generally recognized and a generally respected set of rules, obeyed by everyone, from the global steward down to the humblest registered user or IP. The rules may specify certain powers for global or local steward that the registered user or IP does not have, but the steward is just as much bound by the rules as anyone else in a civilized community. He may no more break the rules with impunity than anyone else (Pierce, 1997).

There is another characteristic of a civilized community which is fundamental, and that is the rule of law. A truly civilized community must have a generally recognized and a generally respected set of rules, obeyed by everyone, from the global steward down to the humblest registered user or IP. The rules may specify certain powers for global or local steward that the registered user or IP does not have, but the steward is just as much bound by the rules as anyone else in a civilized community. He may no more break the rules with impunity than anyone else (Pierce, 1997).

Security comes from knowing that, unlike other systems based on people or things which are subject to frequent and immediate change, correct principles do not change. Users can depend on them (Covey, 2004, p. 34, 122-123).

Security comes from knowing that, unlike other systems based on people or things which are subject to frequent and immediate change, correct principles do not change. Users can depend on them (Covey, 2004, p. 34, 122-123).

[[File:399px-Leandro Alem estatua.jpg|thumb|300px|right|It breaks but it does not bend]]

[[File:Leandro Alem estatua.jpg|thumb|300px|right|It breaks but it does not bend]]

Principles' don't react to anything. They don't get mad and treat users differently. They won't block users or ruin their edits. They aren't out to get users. They can't pave user's way with shortcuts and quick fixes. They don't depend on the behavior of others, the environment, or the current fad for their validity. Principles don't die. They aren't here one day and gone the next. They can't be destroyed by fire, earthquake or theft. Principles like fairness, integrity, honesty, human dignity, service, quality or excellence, potential, growth, patience, nurturance, or encouragement are deep, fundamental truths, classic truths, generic common denominators. They are tightly interwoven threads running with exactness, consistency, beauty, and strength through the fabric of a community. Even in the midst of people or circumstances that seem to ignore the principles, users can be secure in the knowledge that principles are bigger than people or circumstances, and that thousands of years of history have seen them triumph, time and time again. Even more important, users can be secure in the knowledge that they can be validated, by their own experience.

Principles' don't react to anything. They don't get mad and treat users differently. They won't block users or ruin their edits. They aren't out to get users. They can't pave user's way with shortcuts and quick fixes. They don't depend on the behavior of others, the environment, or the current fad for their validity. Principles don't die. They aren't here one day and gone the next. They can't be destroyed by fire, earthquake or theft. Principles like fairness, integrity, honesty, human dignity, service, quality or excellence, potential, growth, patience, nurturance, or encouragement are deep, fundamental truths, classic truths, generic common denominators. They are tightly interwoven threads running with exactness, consistency, beauty, and strength through the fabric of a community. Even in the midst of people or circumstances that seem to ignore the principles, users can be secure in the knowledge that principles are bigger than people or circumstances, and that thousands of years of history have seen them triumph, time and time again. Even more important, users can be secure in the knowledge that they can be validated, by their own experience.

   

   

== Beyond the five pillars ==

== Beyond the five pillars ==

[[File:800px-Temple of Kalabsheh, Nubia (1890) - TIMEA.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]

[[File:Temple of Kalabsheh, Nubia (1890) - TIMEA.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]

Civilization has co-evolved along with the elaboration of hierarchy from the first chiefdoms. If various kinds of hierarchies, past and present, are surveyed, certain patterns stand out clearly. Regardless of how benevolent may have been their establishment, hierarchical organizations always exhibit certain characteristics eventually — from small organizations all the way up to the most large (Moore, 2004).

Civilization has co-evolved along with the elaboration of hierarchy from the first chiefdoms. If various kinds of hierarchies, past and present, are surveyed, certain patterns stand out clearly. Regardless of how benevolent may have been their establishment, hierarchical organizations always exhibit certain characteristics eventually — from small organizations all the way up to the most large (Moore, 2004).

As applied in this essay, the concept of human rights refers to a set of internationally agreed upon moral principles which have been set down in the various declarations of United Nations human rights instruments. One of the three main principles behind fundamental human rights is dignity of person/respect as a human being. Dignity of person includes the right to freedom from cruel, inhuman or derogatory treatment and freedom from incitement to hatred and group defamation. Dignity of person is the unequivocal right to respect as a human being, regardless of differences in individual and/or group level racial/cultural/behavioral attributes. The right to freedom from the promotion of hatred is protected, hate propaganda is prohibited and states are ordered to declare illegal and an offense punishable by law all dissemination of ideas based on superiority or hatred and to declare illegal and prohibit all organizations promoting such ideas. This article specifically protects the right of racial/ethnic minorities to be free from incitement to hate and group defamation. However, as a general human rights principle, it can justifiably be extended to protect non-ethnic minorities as well. These international human rights covenants represent universally endorsed moral principles, human rights guidelines to which all should conform. And these international guidelines strongly endorse the prohibition of hate propaganda, hate-mongering activities and organized hate groups (Kallen, 1998).

As applied in this essay, the concept of human rights refers to a set of internationally agreed upon moral principles which have been set down in the various declarations of United Nations human rights instruments. One of the three main principles behind fundamental human rights is dignity of person/respect as a human being. Dignity of person includes the right to freedom from cruel, inhuman or derogatory treatment and freedom from incitement to hatred and group defamation. Dignity of person is the unequivocal right to respect as a human being, regardless of differences in individual and/or group level racial/cultural/behavioral attributes. The right to freedom from the promotion of hatred is protected, hate propaganda is prohibited and states are ordered to declare illegal and an offense punishable by law all dissemination of ideas based on superiority or hatred and to declare illegal and prohibit all organizations promoting such ideas. This article specifically protects the right of racial/ethnic minorities to be free from incitement to hate and group defamation. However, as a general human rights principle, it can justifiably be extended to protect non-ethnic minorities as well. These international human rights covenants represent universally endorsed moral principles, human rights guidelines to which all should conform. And these international guidelines strongly endorse the prohibition of hate propaganda, hate-mongering activities and organized hate groups (Kallen, 1998).

[[File:442px-PProg 39 p94 LordHateGood.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]

[[File:PProg 39 p94 LordHateGood.jpg|thumb|300px|right]]

The virulent spread of hate on the (as yet) unregulated virtual communities has raised concerns not only about what it means for the future of free speech on communities, but also what it says about users' human rights priorities. To anti-hate activists, freedom of speech does not include the right to vilify. From this view, hate-mongering by organized networks of users hate groups embracing and promoting hate ideologies and strategies, constitutes a direct violation of the fundamental human right of targeted users to freedom from group defamation and its harmful psycho-social effects. On the other hand, to absolutist upholders of unfettered freedom of speech, protection of this fundamental human right assumes priority, and virtually no form of censorship of hate-mongering is held to be justified. In communities where anti-hate propaganda policies are in place, the conflict of rights at issue in the controversy over promotion of hate on the community must be analyzed within the broader ideological context of the hate propaganda debate.

The virulent spread of hate on the (as yet) unregulated virtual communities has raised concerns not only about what it means for the future of free speech on communities, but also what it says about users' human rights priorities. To anti-hate activists, freedom of speech does not include the right to vilify. From this view, hate-mongering by organized networks of users hate groups embracing and promoting hate ideologies and strategies, constitutes a direct violation of the fundamental human right of targeted users to freedom from group defamation and its harmful psycho-social effects. On the other hand, to absolutist upholders of unfettered freedom of speech, protection of this fundamental human right assumes priority, and virtually no form of censorship of hate-mongering is held to be justified. In communities where anti-hate propaganda policies are in place, the conflict of rights at issue in the controversy over promotion of hate on the community must be analyzed within the broader ideological context of the hate propaganda debate.