On Tue, Sep 3, 2019 at 9:24 PM Jared Mauch <jared@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Sep 3, 2019, at 9:14 PM, Melinda Shore <melinda.shore@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> It's also been the case that some very capable new people have shown
> up, looked at the organization, and decided to take their work
> elsewhere. We're also looking at why that happens, because those
> people were potential future leaders, as well.
I’ve often looked at this (and other industry locations) scratching my head
going: why would any person who isn’t a masochist come here and try to do
work. I’ve observed people being chased away, both those that might be trolls,
but also people who are just coming to ask a series of questions to expand
their knowledge.
There are also people who are chased away because they float technical ideas that are politically unpopular within the IETF. I will refrain from citing specific examples, but I know of at least 3 people who stopped participating because they perceived (whether accurately or not) that they were being attacked personally. That I would contend is a much bigger issue than a lack of diversity because it drives away good people who clearly want to participate, but want to solve technical problems instead of spending time navigating an ideological minefield or subjecting themselves to insults, ridicule, or contempt.
We need to do a better job of giving real consideration to ideas that don't align perfectly with a set of litmus tests or to conceptions of the ideal (but unachievable) public internet. I would strongly argue that our first duty is to solve technical problems, not societal ones: as a group, I don't think we're particularly good at the latter; we greatly overestimate the impact of protocol design on public policy; and frankly there are organizations better positioned, staffed, and aligned to do those things.
Kyle
