Hey all
Today, I am thrilled to share two significant developments with you that will determine our shared future.
Firstly, the issue of donations. Since the inception of this instance, your most frequent request has been the ability to make contributions to support my initiative. While initially, I had never intended to accept donations, I’ve come to realize the value this brings in ensuring our platform’s sustainability. In response to your requests, within the next week, I will be introducing several options for those of you who wish to donate. I want to emphasize that these donations are entirely optional and will directly support our instance’s operational necessities - dedicated hardware, colocation fees, email services, and more.
The second announcement needs a full disclosure: it could be an extraordinary idea or potentially not so. Since the beginning of this instance, I’ve seen a number of insightful posts, recommendations, and ideas that the community has put forward, often superior to what I could have conceptualized myself. Even our instance’s name was born from one of your suggestions.
Frequently, I’m approached by users seeking clarity on our rules and guidelines or expressing their thoughts on existing rules. In reflecting upon this, it became clear to me that I’ve been attempting to determine what’s best for the community. But who am I to make these decisions? Just two weeks ago, I was a user among you all. Hence, I’m moving away from the traditional role of decision-making.
Instead, I want to hand over the reins of decision-making to you - the community. I’m excited to announce the creation of a community called agora where you can express your desires for the future of this instance. It’s up to you to come together, discuss, and reach a consensus. If you wish to add, remove, or modify a rule, make a post, garner support from other members, and I’ll implement the change. This invitation extends beyond our immediate community - I welcome input from everyone across the fediverse. Again to be clear, I gave an example of modifying rules but this applies to anything that I have the ability to do on this instance.
As the instance owner, I only have one caveat to add - any decisions made should not jeopardize the instance’s existence or result in legal complications. Aside from that, I’m eager to see where this new direction takes us.
Thank you for your ongoing support, creativity, and engagement.
We’re going to end up with sexy John Oliver posts, aren’t we?
All kidding aside, I think this is a great idea. I would put in another caveat though, that only users from this instance can vote for rule changes. But we should definitely invite ideas from everyone across the fediverse.
Also, Part of why I joined this instance was of the chill direction if the mod admin team, I hope they continue that work and that this doesn’t result in a deterioration of user experience because they gave up and handed it over to all of us.
I expect most of us are here for the chill vibe. That should be reflected in the outcomes at the agora. Assuming it’s local only.
I started a vote on that.
Of course next up I’ll poll for creating a senate and then poll them to elect me Supreme Chancellor. /s
Hold up, HOLD UP. Do you love democracy?
r/prequelmemes has infected my brain.
I feel dirty.
Damn we gotta get a prequel memes community set up over here if there isn’t one already!
Thats sm i have been wondering. I was planning to make my own instance to make sure my account can exist independently and also not to burden other instances. But i don’t have the resources or time to maintain it beyond myself and maybe close relatives/friends.
I hope to become an active memeber in at least some communities without making an account on their instance. Should i not get a vote?
You may joke, but that can be a problem with approaches like this. I like the idea in general, but it relies on a community that is reasonable and forward thinking.
There should be some council or something which also mitigates the worst impulses of the community. They would provide some general direction.
Yeah, that’s what Rome thought about the senate, what Britain thought about the House of Lords, and what the US thought about its Senate.
“Sober house of second thought.”
Fortunately in this case none of the members will be incredibly wealthy and it’s not a country, so you’re probably right.
Wouldn’t this just be the admins of the instance?
Yes, that’s pretty much what I’m thinking. It may be what was intended and I didn’t understand it? I just think it would be bad to just hand over all decision making to the mob…