Rules of Engagement in a Community

Community culture has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the growing recognition of the importance of social connection and the power of collective action to effect change.

What is community?

A community can be defined as a group of people who share a common interest, goal, or identity and come together to support each other, share ideas, and collaborate on projects or initiatives.

General engagement rules one should follow

Every community has its own set of unspoken rules of engagement, which may vary depending on the nature of the community, its values, and the people who participate in it.

However, there are some general guidelines that can help individuals understand how to effectively engage with a community:

• Be kind and respectful:

  • Treat others with respect and kindness, even if you disagree with their opinions or beliefs.
  • Don’t be snarky. Avoid using derogatory language or making personal attacks. Please don’t fulminate. Please don’t sneer, including at the rest of the community.

• Listen first:

  • Take the time to listen to others before sharing your own thoughts or opinions. This can help you better understand the perspectives of others and build stronger relationships.

• Follow the rules:

  • Every community has its own set of guidelines and rules that participants are expected to follow. Make sure you understand and respect these rules.

• Contribute value:

  • Engage in discussions in a way that adds value to the community. Share your expertise, experiences, and insights, and avoid being overly self-promotional or spammy.
  • Have curious conversation; don’t cross-examine.
  • Comments should get more thoughtful and substantive, not less, as a topic gets more divisive.
  • When disagreeing, please reply to the argument instead of calling names.
  • Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that’s easier to criticise. Assume good faith.
  • Avoid generic tangents. Omit internet tropes.
  • A good critical comment teaches us something, folks should learn something new from the discussions.
  • Please don’t carry too far political or ideological battle. It tramples curiosity.
  • Please don’t pick the most provocative thing in an article or post to complain about in the thread. Find something interesting to respond to instead.
  • Please don’t complain about tangential annoyances — things like article or website formats. They’re too common to be interesting.
  • Please don’t post shallow dismissals.

• Be open-minded:

  • Be open to learning from others and being challenged on your own beliefs and assumptions. This can help you grow as an individual and build stronger relationships within the community.

• Give back:

  • Offer help, support, and resources to others in the community when you can. This can help build a stronger sense of community and create a positive feedback loop of giving and receiving.

Overall, the key to effectively engaging in a community is to be respectful, listen actively, and contribute value in a way that aligns with the community’s values and guidelines.