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Wikipedia works best when editors and administrators work to support each other. This includes defending each other if someone attacks Wikipedia administrators or editors. If others help defend a Wikipedia person under attack, it lends solidarity, reduces apparent conflict of interest, and depersonalizes the defense, which helps reduce stress.
Meatball Wiki policy
editThe MeatballWiki has a policy page named Defend Each Other (DefendEachOther), which reads:
- If you are personally attacked, don't defend yourself. That may be surprising - but defending yourself is not your job, it is the job of the other members in the online community.
- Reasons:
- it is much more credible to the reader
- it's too hard to stay emotionally balanced when you defend against personal attacks, it is much easier even not to defend at all
- the experience to be defended is incredible, it is pure joy, enjoy it
- to defend and be defended creates strong emotional bonds among members, it builds trust
- And remember, most of the time personal attacks need not be defended at all, because the attacker only hurts his own reputation and credibility. However, ModelDesiredBehavior: if someone else is attacked, defend them.
- While conflicts are typically seen as negative, they hold big chances to grow as a community, to build trust among the members, to grow in valuable experience. Observe and learn for the next conflicts.
Other pages in the meatball category (CategoryConflict) on conflict make good reading as well.