...pleasantly engaged, suitably informed and inspired to correspond in an enlightened, relevant, courteous and interesting manner?
Perhaps you believe, as I do, that excellent moderation is a form of democratic leadership. Unfortunately, such leadership is generally lacking in the digital world. For example, there are many types of comments that have no place at all in any well-moderated setting. How are your own settings and standards of moderation selected and maintained, dear reader and enlightened leader?
It is unlikely that you usually have as busy a schedule as I have myself, though I am sure you desire some digital and ethereal respect whilst searching for engagingly informed ideas. There is no excuse at all for anyone to inflict upon the general public an inane deluge of ideological bickering, angry ignorance, incongruous compliments and unrequested advertisements masquerading as comments. This especially applies within English-language news organisations.
Just a minute...
Many of the more enlightened persons within political organisations, corporate bodies, charitable institutions and government departments know that meetings resembling digital comment threads are not very helpful. It is for this reason that something called The Minutes happened to be invented many years ago, as did proper parlour and parliamentary procedures.
Minutes are usually compiled by a highly intelligent yet underpaid member of staff to provide a document of the proceedings in a suitably informative manner. Anything superfluous, silly, rude or indecisive is omitted from the record. The person observing the proceedings for the purpose of recording The Minutes usually has a great deal of knowledge about a wide range of issues but never contributes any ideas or opinions to the meeting itself. Perhaps this is why the world is frequently in a mess.
I am very fortunate as most of the people who contact me do so in a courteous and gracious manner. They are usually aware of my consistently high standards, my elegant correspondence and my beautiful notepaper. Another of my good fortunes is that a member of my staff always compiles The Minutes of each of my meetings so that I have a clear and properly archived account of the thoughts of everyone I have ever encountered. Perhaps the contents of your own mind have already been compiled, condensed and then recited in their entirety within a minute or two within my parlour, possibly with some amusement.
Motions not emotions...
News reports and online opinions should never be treated in the same way as official public hearings. There is no reason for verbatim recordings of verbosity unless a chairperson is moderating the flow of verbiage.
Passing motions is quite important in meetings, and in daily life, though these should always be performed in a socially agreeable fashion. Hence the importance of democratically moderate leadership.
Whether you are guiding the moderation as a chairperson, or as a digitally-engaged personage, or as The Minutes secretary, it is important to demonstrate leadership through the tasks you perform and the healthy motions purposefully passed.
Most digital comment threads are, unfortunately, boringly and irritatingly anarchic. The only proper place for anarchy is in recordings of comedy, particularly if suitable for a moving picture or later in The Minutes. However, even in comedy, moderation is always likely to be enlightened.
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| Moderate Art by Twaklin and Monsieur Magritte |
A few more commentaries, including some comedies, regarding moderation:
The importance of enlightenment
This is not a pipe dream
A suitably stylish manner
Civilized Adelaide
In tune with the public
Introductory Mozarty Party procedures and proceedings
In your very best handwriting
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...in the parlour meant for you