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Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.
The last article in this series compared running a forum to bowling and likened the two gutters to two common extremes in forum management: the extreme of too much or overly censorious control and the extreme of anything goes. With that as an analogy, I raised the question: if we were doomed to fall into one gutter or the other, which would be better? I asserted that we are not actually doomed to fall into one or the other but that how we answer the “Which is better?” question shapes our thinking in important ways as we develop forum policy and procedures.

I argued that we’re better off erring in the direction of control and based my view on three factors: the fact that our conversations are published, the fact that the fundamentalist movement is not in need of more rancor or emotional rants, and the fact that Scripture strongly urges us to pursue peace and generally avoid strife and contention (especially among ourselves).
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Read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

What’s in a Name?

One of the forum issues that has been discussed at length at SharperIron is the question of whether to allow anonymity. Specifically, the question is whether to allow members to have profiles that do not disclose who they are or to post using nicknames or other labels that do not clearly identify them.

Naturally, with the change in leadership at SI, some have wondered what the rules will be going forward. But before we announce any policy, let’s weigh the pros and cons of anonymous posting.

What’s Good about Anonymity Online?

To some it’s obvious that there is nothing to gain from anonymity in forums. But I’m not among them. In fact, three ways in which anonymity can be helpful come readily to mind.

For one, anonymous posting allows the timid to have a voice. Though I’m inclined to think, “If they’re not willing to attach their good name to their thoughts, they don’t deserve to be heard,” another thought quickly follows: should those who prefer to avoid the limelight be penalized for that? Do the shy have nothing of value to say? The truth is, the world is full of introverts who have keen insight into things, and being able to post anonymously or under a pseudonym probably results in more of these insights getting out where they can be helpful. (Note to biblical counseling movement enthusiasts: yes, I’m aware that “introvert” is a Jungian term, and no, I’m not a fan of Jung.)
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Read Part 1.

This article is the second in a series on forum philosophy from a Christian point of view. The series aims to lay some philosophical groundwork as part of the process of finding a new Forums Director for SI. It also aims to build unity around some of the why’s and wherefore’s of forum administration, consider biblical principles that should govern how we speak to one another, and wrestle with issues like respecting others’ expertise, anonymity, and limits on free speech.

Egalitarianism

“Liberté! Égalité! Fraternité!” Such was the cry of the newly empowered common man during the French Revolution. “Liberty! Equality! Brotherhood!” Historians debate how often these words were used in this combination, but the motto certainly captures the spirit of the time—especially the égalité (equality) part. Jean Jacques Rousseau had trumpeted the equality concept years before in his 1762 book Social Contract. Some, though, see égalité in a much older source.read more