kevin_standlee: Logo created for 2005 Worldcon and sometimes used for World Science Fiction Society business (WSFS Logo)
[personal profile] kevin_standlee
The folks advocating Range Voting contacted WSFS (actually, the WSFS webmaster, [livejournal.com profile] sfrose) lobbying WSFS to change its voting system from the Instant Runoff Voting system we currently use for site selection and the Hugo Awards. Sharon told them how our rules work and suggested that if they want to change them, they come to WSFS business meetings and propose and debate the changes there, like all other rule changes. The advocate's response, in my opinion, amounted to, "Our proposal is so obviously Right that we shouldn't have to do all that hard, expensive work. You should change your rules because we tell you to do so."

I often tell people who come to me with rules-change proposals, "If you think it's worthwhile, come and submit it yourself. I'll help you with all of the technicalities to the best of my ability, but you have to make your own case, lobby people yourself, and get the votes by convincing people." Most of the time, this discourages them -- democracy is hard work! But sometimes we get people who are willing to work and debate, and sometimes we even get workable changes and improvements.

WSFS rules are intentionally designed to be resistant to change; however, they can be changed if people work hard enough at it. But it's not enough to just lobby a Board of Directors or subvert the Chairman; you have to convince the members.

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-01-24 06:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kevin-standlee.livejournal.com
A person's reputation is irrelevant to the scientific analysis of his proposition.
This isn't a technocracy.

In a democratically-run society, particularly one run on "Town Meeting" democratic principles, reputation may have nothing to do with "scientific analysis" of a proposition but it has a lot to do with whether said proposition will ever be adopted.

Politics is messy that way.

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-01-24 07:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thebrokenladder.livejournal.com
Because humans choose to behave irrationally instead of scientifically. Sigh.

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-01-24 07:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kevin-standlee.livejournal.com
Yes! Exactly! You Got It! Congratulations!

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-01-24 02:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] filkerdave.livejournal.com
Yes.

For example, humans might even behave irrationally and feel, y'know, insulted by your comment.

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-02-10 11:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thebrokenladder.livejournal.com
Well, people need to suck it up and face reality. It's not always pleasant to find out you have cancer, but if you ignore it and don't go to the doctor, it's gonna get more unpleasant.

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-02-10 11:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] filkerdave.livejournal.com
people need to suck it up and face reality

This is truer than you probably realize.

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-02-11 12:15 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thebrokenladder.livejournal.com
So go for it. Suck it up and change your election method.

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-02-11 12:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] filkerdave.livejournal.com
You really are that stupid, aren't you?

Re: Range Voting

Date: 2007-02-12 06:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kevin-standlee.livejournal.com
You spent several years sitting behind Worldcon bidding desks, as I have done. As I'm sure you recall, this makes you a captive audience for a bunch of people, including those whose grip on reality is, shall we say, slightly askew from the rest of us. Surely you've encountered people with "fannish Aspberger's Syndrome"?

Old broken-record there actually is very fannish. He's intense, dedicated, and incapable of realizing how obnoxious he's being.

June 2025

S M T W T F S
12 3 4 56 7
89 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 1718 19 20 21
222324 25 26 27 28
29 30     

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 30th, 2025 11:57 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios