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I think we need to have a heart-to-heart here.
Recently, we've had one Cabinet member resign because they don't want to deal with the Assembly and I know at least one more has taken a step back from NS because of the toxic atmosphere. Our poll from a few weeks ago suggested that few people are excited about the prospect of participating in the Assembly and I don't think anyone can disagree that the environment has been anything less than toxic. So, with this, I'd like to ask: What do we do about this? We cannot continue in this fashion. We are hemorrhaging active individuals and driving away everyone else. I'm open to all constructive suggestions because this is quickly reaching critical stages.
-tsunamy
[forum admin]
I crave the indulgence of other more experienced TSPers than myself, however, as someone who has been engaged in many regions, all of which have been democratic to the extent that one has had to be elected to be in Government and held to account by a legislature, I hope that I can constructively contribute.
Firstly, I think that Ministers have to toughen up. There seems to be a high level of sensitivity amongst TSPers in comparison to other regions that I have been involved in. I am not sure why this is, it is merely a personal observation. I have been elected in regions where I have been hated, and I mean that in its fullest sense and have come under relentless and sustained criticism. Often unfounded and motivated by personal animus. However, if I believed that I was doing the right thing, I would keep on doing it and directly answer my critics. Democracy isn't personally easy, it is a sacrifice. A sacrifice of time, of effort but most of all, it is a sacrifice of character. You put yourself forward, knowing that in a lot of cases, your career will end in failure or at least not fully fulfilled. During this you will be attacked by opponents, held to account for failures and judged. But you need to get on with it, otherwise, what are you doing seeking a career in the first place? The balance to that is, those moments of triumph are sweet and all the sweeter usually for riding through criticism. As a corollary to this, although it may seem a little contradictory, individuals should avoid personal attacks or insinuations. To borrow a very British phrase - play the ball, not the man. Policy debate should be tough, but debate should be focused on ideas not people. It is difficult in NS when you have a region with a lot of old members with long histories and long memories. I am often guilty myself of opposing measures because of my personal suspicions of the person proposing them. But I try, generally, to focus on the ideas rather than the individual and that creates a much healthier atmosphere. In TSP, there is a tendency for debates to rapidly fall into personal attacks or for people to take personal offence at criticisms of their proposals/stance. TSPers need to distance themselves a little more from their work and not assume that everyone is out to get them personally. On the flip side, older members in particular, need to try and restrain themselves from personal attacks (easy for me to say, of course, as I don't have grudges against people in TSP). When debate slips into personalities, sometimes you have to rise above attacks that are launched against you. I don't see many people prepared to do that, and that only makes the problem worse. Finally, the key for new members is mentoring. Older members need to take young pups under their wings, shield them a bit from criticism at first and then let them fly the nest. Democracy is useful because there is an electoral incentive to cultivate good relationships (after all, you will rely on these people's support come election time). However, it does require effort. I am not very good at this anymore as I am not personally after power anymore and I usually can't be bothered to make the effort. And I notice there are a lot of members of similar advanced NS age, who perhaps can't be bothered to support the next generation. However, that doesn't make the work any less vital. There is a region I know where effectively you have an "hour glass" population. A lot of very old members, a tiny number of "middle aged" members, and a lot of new members. It is struggling because it can't integrate those new members because the old guards are too stuck in their ways and have no real incentives to reach out, either they are not looking for power and just want to snipe, or they are so firmly secure that they just ignore expanding their base. As such the "mortality rate" for want of a better phrase, is very high. TSP has to be careful that this doesn't happen although you have the luxury as a feeder of a constant stream of new sign ups whether you want them or not! Older members need to provide a bit more guidance, via PM, IRC etc. to these newer folk and not just dismiss/ignore them when they post their ideas in the Assembly. So those are my thoughts about this issue, nothing ground breaking. I don't think that we have an extreme problem here, but I think it requires adjustment all around. There is no quick fix though, ultimately, it is individual action which is essential for success, that takes time.
I think there is a rising trend of people backing their own solution and not enough of trying to find a working one.
I mean when I said I felt the seven day time period was too aggressive, I was basically told I was over reacting. A solution that most found comfortable was found within two seconds of meeting half way. A lot of the pain comes from blankly dismissing viewpoints Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
The 16th Delegate of The South Pacific
I think part of the problem is that the people that most need to hear what's bein' said in this thread are the least likely to listen.
The Third Imperium
Journalist, South Pacific Independent News Network (SPINN) Provost, Magisterium Sergeant, East Pacific Sovereign Army Journalist, East Pacific News Service Foreign Affairs Minister, The West Pacific
I think ending our relations with The New Inquisition would resolve a lot of the internal tension. Most of the infighting is between members of the old guard who are pro-UIAF or anti-UIAF. This is a silent pre-text of most of our debates which nobody wants to publicly admit.
I also think one major problem with TSP is that we've really got to blocs of ideas. A very conservative outlook and a very liberal outlook. It's all very American in its realization.
I think to fix it we need to really just... go with it. Make political parties. Structure it. Pretending the Assembly should work as one happy family really is setting expectations that will never be fulfilled in a political system. We are divided and we can resolve issues better negotiating as parties, instead of playing politics as individuals alone - where battling each other becomes personal.
(06-10-2014, 05:56 PM)Unibot Wrote: I think ending our relations with The New Inquisition would resolve a lot of the internal tension. Most of the infighting is between members of the old guard who are pro-UIAF or anti-UIAF. This is a silent pre-text of most of our debates which nobody wants to publicly admit. stop
Please.
The Third Imperium
Journalist, South Pacific Independent News Network (SPINN) Provost, Magisterium Sergeant, East Pacific Sovereign Army Journalist, East Pacific News Service Foreign Affairs Minister, The West Pacific
Oh, piss off Uni. I literally cannot believe you're using this thread to push UDL-FRA interests.
Minister of Media, Subversion and Sandwich Making
Associate Justice of the High Court and Senior Moderator ![[Image: B9ytUsy.png]](https://i.imgur.com/B9ytUsy.png)
However, in regards to political parties, the region is practically divided up along those lines as it is.
The Third Imperium
Journalist, South Pacific Independent News Network (SPINN) Provost, Magisterium Sergeant, East Pacific Sovereign Army Journalist, East Pacific News Service Foreign Affairs Minister, The West Pacific |
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