Cabals - what the heck are they?
How to really split your community in one easy step with no effort required
I have had an email from someone who should really know better, that was in the flaming style. In passing the guy questioned if I knew the meaning of the word cabal. Oddly enough, being reasonably educated, of some travel, widely experienced and of advancing years - I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have used it. I first used the word in what has now become an infamous phrase *the IRC cabal* to describe the way WordPress takes all the big decisions, particularly the controversial ones - behind closed doors. It is very unwise for people to attack me in this way.
Fortunately for all our greater, erudition, wisdom, and understanding of the proper useage of the English language - a passion not shared widely by Americans - the boffins at Wikipedia have come to our aid. Thusly saving me yet more pointless typing. And here it is:
A cabal is a number of persons united in some close design, usually to promote their private views and interests in a church, state, or other community by intrigue. Cabals are sometimes secret organizations composed of a few designing persons, and at other times are manifestations of emergent behavior in society or governance on the part of a community of persons who have well established public affiliation or kinship. The term can also be used to refer to the designs of such persons or to the practical consequences of their emergent behavior, and also holds a general meaning of intrigue and conspiracy. Its usage carries strong connotations of shadowy corners, back rooms and insidious influence; a cabal is more evil and selective than, say, a faction, which is simply selfish. Because of this negative connotation, few organizations use the term to refer to themselves or their internal subdivisions. Among the exceptions is Discordianism, in which the term is used to refer to an identifiable group within the Discordian tradition.
Very apt I would say.
What you still seem unable to grasp is that you are part of the cabal, by virtue of participating in the project. If you choose to exclude yourself and play the victim, that’s up to you. Nobody is compelling you to participate. It’s unfortunate that you choose not to engage me in conversation, but rather choose to take this to the public forum. So be it. Equating us to Wordpress is deeply absurd.
Comment by Rich Bowen Sep 4, 02:39 PM #
Well I am not part of any cabal. The reason for that is that on principle I refuse to use IRC to discuss things which are properly of interest to the whole community.
Comment by Root Sep 4, 04:14 PM #
In my experience the complexities of overlapping internal relationships within any “community” that grows to be larger than 20 – 25 people can bring it down. The notion of a single “community” no longer has any value because once you have expanded what exists is many smaller communities and the sense of “community” that existed when numbers were low and relationships were close and all were well informed is gone.
Consensual decisions are based on the “we can all live with it principle” and ought not to be confused with the rule of the majority. In any group of this size consensus becomes impossible to achieve because what occurs is that an unofficial, unelected “executive” by any other name begin to make decisions without fully informing the every community member.
When this starts to occur I simply take a lengthy time out and in some cases I never return to the organization in question.
IMO there is lots from the WP experience referred to that the Habari folks could learn from but first they must be willing to look into a mirror.
Comment by brightfeather Sep 7, 10:20 PM #
WordPress has historically suffered – or more accurately – its user community has suffered – from a poor relationship personally, professionally and in coding terms between the hardcore back end coders, and the interface developers / designers. This is one of WordPress Wank’s recurrent themes and with very good reason.
Comment by Root Sep 8, 11:00 AM #