In the past couple of weeks the OWDNA listserv has been buzzing with accusations, counter-accusations, umbrage taking, reverse umbrage taking, and various other forms of less-than-helpful interactions. This is normal, although I am hopeful that the discourse will eventually revert to the more typical "free stuff on the curb" and "community event tomorrow" mode soon.
All listservs have to balance the need to provide a forum for honest opinions and feedback against the danger of a few loud voices hijacking the conversation. Left unchecked, most people will simply tune out, turning a community support lifeline into an echo chamber.
Moderation is a critical tool to prevent this from happening but only if there are clear rules governing what type of conduct will be moderated. In general, I think OWDNA listserv has done a remarkably good job educating the community, keeping current with the neighborhood events, and giving voice to people's concerns
For some more background on the complex psyche of neighborhood listservs, I am reprinting a very funny and insightful article from the Atlantic Cities about the 20 characters you will meet on every neighborhood email list. Personally, I am definitely #8 (the armchair urban planner) and, if you are reading this, you may be too.
