Lately, I have been noticing some serious toxicity inside the IC community. I am calling on all higher-level devs. and members of the foundation to address this issue immediately. There have been several occasions in meetings and on certain discussion topics that individuals bully, or blatantly ignore certain users (normally the “victims” being new users trying to learn/ wrap their heads around new concepts, or like me just learning for a hobby). It is obvious, to even new users, the divide that is sweeping the IC. This has, in turn, created a toxic work culture that needs to be immediately addressed (as if it was a dire issue to the protocol itself). I’ll admit I am not as tech savvy as some of the devs. on the IC. So, my assistance on governance or the protocol itself is limited to the archetype of a student… However, there is more to a community than its product. The community is a living organism made up of the collective unconscious of all community members. Right now, that community collective unconscious is toxic, it reeks of elitism and bullying. While some may be subtle or overlooked. It is still there, like an open wound, or cancer, it is continuing to grow. I believe this will continue to grow, and will eventually be what creates the biggest obstacles in the ecosystem. Obviously, the tech is what brought us together. However, if we cannot rid the community of this toxicity we will not thrive. So, I am calling ALL devs. and ALL members of the dfinity foundation and the open internet foundation to essentially “cut the” for a lack of a better way of saying it, come together and help the community heal and then thrive. Right now, there is definitely a noticeable toxic work culture evolving. If this is not addressed internally, it will come out publicly and will be prolonged. I urge all members of the community to continue working toward collaboration, and then come up with a game plan to change the environment inside the community. There are some users, and stakeholders refusing to speak out of fear of the community repercussions. This is the start of what you are trying to dismantle. I urge community leaders to re-visit Karl Marx’s Conflict theory and how it could be applied/ pertains to the community at this point in time. Then they need to outright address it. This type of internal conflict has destroyed civilizations. It needs addressed.
Hello,
The word detoxify the community seems to me extremely strong and rather than ignore the message, I wish to express my total disagreement with the content.
Regards
Could you tell us where you have experienced this? Im not entirely sure what you mean, but my interactions are quite limited.
I agree there is elitism, but I haven’t seen someone bullying new users trying to understand IC.
I personally respond to 100% of the messages/questions I get. I am getting around 50% responses. It annoys me too, but it’s fine, you build/join your own tribe. I don’t think that is IC specific problem.
I’ve actually been impressed by how civil things are on this forum. I braced myself to be flamed due to my initial post being, well… something of a flame 
Instead I was welcomed and the issue I raised was given due consideration. Like @Tbd, my experience with Dfinity is limited, but at least here I’ve been humbled by how patient the moderators and devs are, consistently giving the benefit of the doubt to questionable posts.
Sure! @Tbd @infu @Jonathan @rbolog
In all honesty, I realized I should have edited this more and given it more input than I did. I realize after I shared, that the rhetoric used could have been confusing/ sound harsh to individuals. This was not my intention at all. I am accustomed to using such language inside academia that it carries over into my normal conversational speech. I apologize.
I want to stress that this post was directed mainly at community leaders and all higher-level devs. to create/foster the environment needed for all users to then reciprocate their behavior in turn. I placed (or should have placed more) significant emphasis on the start of the creation of toxic work culture. You are correct, this is not something specifically related to the IC. Karl Marx’s Conflict Theory, states that in any organization, culture, or community conflict arises. Then the logistics of what occurs when this takes place makes handling it detrimental not to the protocol itself but to the culture, the work environment, and the community.
It then becomes all of your frustrations, all of your unheard and unanswered questions that then collectively become “our frustrations”. So, yes, this is a known phenomenon that occurs in any organization. It certainly has been occurring long before and will occur long after the IC lol However, when it happens in the IC it then becomes (like I mentioned) a wound or cancer that slowly over time kills you from within. This is something that should start being addressed directly by community leaders (NOT all the average users turning into a mob and going one direction lol). Those involved will understand the depth and magnitude of what I speak.
I do not want to highlight specific moments on the forum, meetings, or other forms of communication because A. the community is reeling from community leaders and their unconscious or subliminal projected feelings, and B. it would continue fueling feelings towards individuals who are not directly responsible (this is a community issue after all) and C. it would/ could take away from my message and point I am/ tried to make.
I LOVE this community for better or worse lol That is what motivated me to make this post and try to voice this opinion. So, yes, in terms of comparing it to other digital communities yes, this one is great. Although, I am pointing out the start of this process being born before our eyes. This is something that occurs slowly over a period of time inside an organization or any business really. It’s the fundamentals of organizational communication.
If your interactions have been limited I urge you to do nothing. By that, I mean, sit back, and slowly observe the community in silence as a spectator. It does not pop up nearly half as much as other communities and organizations I will admit. However, when it pops up it’s evident, and then it trickles down into unseen or unnoticed behaviors that over time destroy things from the inside out. It consumes a community like darkness and hate can consume a man’s soul. I want and hoped to say all of this now before it ever became a full reality. Much like having a scan done, that detects early stages of cancer and then having it removed before it’s problematic, or taking antibiotics when a bacterial infection sets in.
Then my final comment will be towards just “join your tribe and forget about it”. I will agree and have to an extent, however, the IC is not a tribe IMO it should be looked at if anything as a brain. A brain needs homeostasis, it needs the right amount of this and that, or it creates instability, that in turn is reflected in our behavior, thoughts, feelings, etc., etc. I would urge community leaders and average users to not think of this as “find your project and stick with them” otherwise the divide I am speaking to will literally look like America rn. A sad pathetic divided nation is about to implode in itself if it doesn’t pull it together. Except, an American moment like this happened a LONG time ago. We overlooked it all. Now, look at us today. I say this as a citizen of the USA and a stakeholder in IC lol Please hear my words community leaders. Consider this at the very least.
If you want to know when the moment in America was IMO go back to the year 1774-1776ish when Benjamin Franklin laid out all-inclusive language in the first draft of the declaration of independence that was then scrapped and turned into what we see today.
I’m not sure who you’re apologizing to tbh. Nobody has been offended.
Then how are we supposed to know what steps to even take without any concrete examples? Cmon Lol.
You said absolutely nothing substantive. No identification of problems, no ideas how to fix it, and nothing actionable for the reader to pursue.
Btw I’m not reading marx’s book. I could not give less of a shit about it.
This isnt your academic institution; waxing poetic about vague generalities is a waste of everyones time.
Hey, @Tromix this was not directed towards you or for you. Thanks for reading it though. Those who needed to hear it heard me. Your behavior is exactly what I was speaking to. So, if anything I greatly appreciate you making my point.
Have a great day bud,
You’re welcome. You’re being disingenuous and trying to crybully your way into subverting the ecosystem to fit your ideological paradigm. You’re demanding the team prioritize your vastly unimportant world view, at the expense of progress of the ecosystem.
Stay mad if you like. Not my problem.
Yeah, and quite honestly, haven’t come across any toxic behavior from those in the community, unlike other communities I’ve been a part of.
Only time I can remember there being any toxic behavior is when the main telegram group was open and the market came crashing down, tanking the token, then all the trolls came in fudding and provoking people. Other than that, super friendly community.
Well, as you can see my case has been made for me. Thank’s for helping shed light to the exact toxic behavior I am referring to. I’m not mad, I’m speaking to a much larger issue that you yourself are enabling and continuing to project on the rest of the community. You reek of toxicity, grab some febreeze and douse yourself with it. Because it’s nasty (your attitude and domineer I mean).
Introducing Forum Community Guidelines @Tromix I want to leave you with this my friend. Good luck on your journey.
Imagine thinking that any group you intrude upon and doesnt immediately cater to your 10-ply soft sensitivities/demands, is toxic.
Are you a minor instagram/tiktok celebrity? You’re so profoundly self centered and egotistical that its actually hilarious.
Best of luck in your life. Seriously.
Hi @jsull9 and thank you for the topic.
My experience is different - I feel fair treatment (appropriate to my addition to the ecosystem) even from people with much higher education and with much more experience in relevant areas, but I understand that different people might feel in different way and it is very important to be able to talk about these things freely.
IMO most stakeholders are currently focused mainly on delivering on roadmap milestones (so I suppose sometimes someone might have been overlooked), but still I would encourage (not only) dev/community leads to read through similar topics and ask themselves What can I do more or better?.
I hope your experience improves in the near future and wish you the best of luck!
Does Dom have an account here?
Yeah, that’s just what we need here in the ICP ecosystem, Marxism… not at all, I’m a fan of free speech and free thought, even when it offends some, I suggest that you learn how to debate, instead of trying to cancel others free speech to bring you out of your safe space. I was attracted to ICP for what looks like a counterbalance to silicon valley cancel culture and allowing a few to control free speech, the reshaping of our realities…