[Tagging] Have our tagging voting rules changed recently?

[Christoph Hormann]

On Tuesday 04 August 2020, Frederik Ramm wrote:
> Hi,
>
> looking at the "bare_soil" proposal I was surprised to read:
>
> "Any opposition vote without reason or suggestion will not be counted
> in the voting process."
>
> Is that something that we have added by consensus?

I don't think so - but i also think the question is a bit besides the 
point here.

The thing is the whole idea of proposal voting was originally meant as a 
standardized way to gauge if consensus has been achieved on a tagging 
question. Consensus does not require unanimity but it requires 
dissenting voices not being ignored and being integrated into to 
consensus position, to find the position that enjoys broadest possible 
support.  For that it is of course needed that dissenting voices do not 
just express their dislike per se but explain why they oppose the idea.

Unfortunately the proposal process is often used these days as a mere 
supermajority vote where the majority can push their uncompromising 
position against critique - no matter how well founded and well argued 
that critique might be.

That is one of the main reasons why i typically do not vote in tagging 
proposals.  If i criticize a tagging idea i usually have well founded 
reasons for that.  I require these to be either addressed or being 
convinced with arguments to change my opinion.  If that does not happen 
and a supermajority of voters can decide to ignore objections without 
engaging in a discussion on the merits and convincing me and other 
critical voices i am not going to legitimize the process with my 
participation.

It might actually be better to introduce the opposite rule - that 
yes-votes need to explain why they are willing to dismiss sustained 
critical voices in the discussion.  That would at least avoid people 
voting yes out of group-think, political allegiance or as a personal 
favor without having contemplated the merit of the proposal and of 
voices opposing it.

-- 
Christoph Hormann
http://www.imagico.de/