[Osmf-talk] Reaching out and diversity (Was: Re: AGM and board elections)

[Wolfgang Zenker]

Hi everyone,

* Randy Meech <randy.meech at gmail.com> [140928 23:34]:
> On Sep 28, 2014 2:35 PM, "Frederik Ramm" <frederik at remote.org> wrote:
>> Frankly, I found this thread, and indeed *anything* said on this mailing
>> list in the last couple of months that I recall, to be far from "toxic".

> Kathleen joined the group, gave a number of examples of what sexism in OSM
> looks like as requested by others on the list (despite Kate's sound
> explanations of why that's risky), and made some suggestions. The *board
> chair* replies, immediately criticizes her use of mailing list etiquette,
> makes an ad hominem argument because she's from the US, is combative and
> basically ignores her suggestions.

I think we are falling into the trap of cultural difference here. It might
be caused by the fact that all participants so far do speak english quite
well, and there is a widespread believe that something like a "common
western culture" exists. Following the discussion, I think this is not
really the case though. Randy has seen combativeness and an ad hominem
attack in Simons mail, that I, even though reading the very same email
thread, can not see. I don't think this is a language problem but instead
a cultural difference; people have different conceptions of what words
or phrases one would normally use to express a specific meaning and
what is the intention if someone phrases something in a different way.

A good example to illustrate this might be the suggestion to have a "code
of conduct" for events. I have learned this is something that is commonly
done for events in the US, but the suggestion is met with some reluctance
in Europe.

If you allow me to speculate, my guess is that people in the US perceive
the signing of a code of conduct by the participants of an event as a kind
of bonding experience, like "we are joining our forces together to make
this event a success and a shining example of fairness and equality".

On the other hand, when I first encountered the request to sign a code
of conduct for an event, my perception was quite different: "They" want
to "force" me to behave like any decent person would behave anyway, so
"they" must think I'm a kind of barbarian that can not be trusted. In
other words, I did not see a bonding experience but an insult.

I believe the only way out of this trap is to work on the assumption
that all participants in this discussion are acting in good faith,
and if we perceive anything as "toxic" or "insulting", it might very
well be a misinterpretation on our own.

Wolfgang