User blog:SilverPlays97/The hardest thing about being an editor on a wiki

We, as editors of a database anyone can edit, face challenges frequently. We try to improve the main-space by what we think is best. More often than not, we disagree. We try to push these conflicts aside and move on, hoping they will go away. We even try to isolate ourselves, thinking that conflict will not come. No matter how hard we try, we come face-to-face to it; scared, intimidated, and unprepared for it.

The more it happens, the more we grow opinions about it; and 'it' can be anything: editing style, feelings towards users, management ideology, ext.. As editors, we follow policy; and that policy is to be professional, assume good faith, and no personal attacks. We try our best to treat everything seriously and openly, be open to new ideas and have faith in others, and judge people's edits, not themselves.

However, as conflict continues to happen, we grow questions in our heads:


 * How can I be professional when I try to gain attention about something seemingly no one cares about?
 * How can I assume good faith in someone who has let me down again and again?
 * Why should I be nice to someone who goes against everything I believe in?

The questions start turning into ideals, and further grow our personal beliefs. When another conflict arrives, we try to hide our personal opinions to follow policy, and keep editing. Eventually, the elephant in the room takes up the entire of room; and when conflict comes in, we can't hide it. We expose ourselves and give a bad image to others. If the conflict is small, we forgive and move on. If the conflict is not, we demand answers and punishment and our divine right to edit is taken away. Then we ponder: when did I go so wrong?

This is the hardest thing for editors to do. We try to be professorial about arguments and conflict, but we will always have opinions to back it up. Some stronger than others. This is a constant struggle we have, with professionalism winning most of the time; but every time our opinions win, we pay a price. Whether that be our reputations, legacy, or our rights we have worked so hard to get. The ugly truth of it all is, eventually, we have to let our opinions win.

But that's just my opinion.