User talk:Defiant Elements/RFA

The role of bureaucrats
Instigators of discussion. Auron's biggest complaint about RfAs is that they aren't useful because they don't usually generate any discussion. If ya want discussion, ya might as well start some yerself. Press other users to better explain their opinions, present counter-arguments, anything to impel other users to do more than post a single comment and leave. &mdash;Dr Ishmael 01:37, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Frankly, RfA is fine as it is. All this would do is make official policy closer to what you should have done last time. Not to sound accusing, but there's no reason to amend policy just because you screwed up on the community side of Phalange's promotion. If you wait just 3 days to promote a user no one else knows about, of course it's going to cause controversy. A normal nomination of an active, trusted community member doesn't cause problems. And frankly, I doubt a strange situation like Phalange is likely to come up any time soon. [[Image:Entrea Sumatae.png|Entrea Sumatae]]Entrea   [Talk]  01:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * What I should have done :/? I'm confused... are you addressing Auron?  Also, this really has very little to do with Phalange's nomination/promotion except in so far as it caused discussion and drama which made it clear (to me) that there was a reasonably fundamental difference of opinions when it came to the "considerations" I list on this page (thus the revamp).  [[Image:DE Sig Test 2.jpg|50x19px]]  *Defiant Elements*   +talk  09:14, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Oops, yeah, addressing Auron. d'oh. Anyway, he screwed up, but I hope he learned his lesson and won't incite any more wiki-drama next time.[[Image:Entrea Sumatae.png|Entrea Sumatae]]Entrea  [Talk]  15:19, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Whether or not Auron learned his lesson (whether or not he even believes there's a lesson to be learned other than "Next time, don't create an RFA") is immaterial. Now that the question's been raised, I think it's important to at least make an attempt to clarify/revamp the policy.  If people decide the final product is a bad/unnecessary idea, that's fine.  [[Image:DE Sig Test 2.jpg|50x19px]]  *Defiant Elements*   +talk  15:30, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * True, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to, shall we say, encourage Auron to do future RfA's in the same way our previous beurocrats did.[[Image:Entrea Sumatae.png|Entrea Sumatae]]Entrea  [Talk]  15:46, 25 June 2008 (UTC)
 * Meh. At the moment, I'm thinking the most viable option would be to combine the 2nd and 3rd options listed under "Possibilities" which would be a semi-radical change (2 wouldn't be so radical, but 3 probably would).  It's not about "putting Auron in his place so that this never happens again," it's about taking a critical look at the policy and seeing if it's an accurate reflection of the way things work, the way things maybe "should" work, etc.  And, if it turns out that it doesn't (which seems to be the case to me given the wikidrama) then it should be revised (which is what I'm suggesting).  [[Image:DE Sig Test 2.jpg|50x19px]]  *Defiant Elements*   +talk  15:51, 25 June 2008 (UTC)