User:Dlohcierekim/apathy
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This is an essay; it contains the advice and/or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. It is not a policy or guideline, and editors are not obliged to follow it. |
- This is a less jarring (to my sensibilities anyway) version of WP:DGAF.
Wiki-apathy is a state of wiki-being concerned mainly with not caring.
The idea is a half-Buddhist idea based on a wikification of two of the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha. Wiki-suffering (wiki-conflict and wiki-stress) is caused by wiki-attachment (caring) and can be relieved by Wiki-detachment (not caring).
Imagine for a moment what would happen if, all across the world, everyone stopped caring. No more bloody wars between religions, no desire for power, no one killing others for money, no hate, no fanaticism. If everyone remained in a constant state of ease, you would have a chance to create utopia. Anger only exists because people give themselves reason to be angered. That's the idea behind Wiki-apathy.
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[edit] Wikipedia and apathy
Contributors who don't care about Wikipedia aid it in many ways:
- By not caring about Wikipedia, the user is far less likely to cause any sort of disruptive behavior or become outraged by other people editing Wikipedia.
- A greater ability for neutrality also comes with apathy, in both arguments and observations. (indifference is the ultimate neutrality)
- Many less violent outbursts. Violence seems stupid and useless when you have nothing to get violent about.
[edit] Good ways to be apathetic
Wiki-apathy works best in heated conflict discussions. By not caring, you prevent yourself from getting stressed out and you won't begin attacking people and clawing their eyes out. This chilled out state prevents conflict on Wikipedia.
When expressing your limitless apathy upon the world, always remember to be caring of other people's feelings. It is attachment and obsession that cause suffering; not compassion.
[edit] Using apathy to survive angry mastodon attacks
Angry mastodons tend to charge and bellow. They take any contention or deviation from their woolly world view (be it a policy or guideline, or their very own concept of how Wikipedia ought to be) very personally, and that gets their steam up. Their eyes go all red and they charge. Problem is, when that much meat gets moving, it's hard to steer. Tends to keep going in the original vector. A simple defense, as opposed to fight-or-flight, is to simply sidestep. Put on a smile, and watch the thundering behemoth go stomping right by. Axiom: He who sidesteps today lives to remain apathetic another day.
Wikipedia:Wikipedia is not that important states: When all is said and done, Wikipedia is really not very important in the great scheme of things.
Editors shouldn't and needn't get worked up about things. If you're feeling strong negative emotions towards Wikipedia, an article, or a user, you're taking things too seriously, and it's time to back off. Relax a little, and try to gain some perspective. The most important thing about editing Wikipedia is to enjoy yourself while doing it. If you're not enjoying yourself, other people probably aren't enjoying you either, and time is ripe for a wikiholiday.
Wikipedia can be used to escape from the real life. But real life can also be used to escape from Wikipedia. Don't hesitate to do so.
[edit] Wrong action can masquerade as Wiki-apathy
Using apathy as reasoning for unreasonableness is bad! Employing the Wiki-apathy philosophy to go on a page-blanking rampage when angered, or to ignore someone's cry for help, is Not Good. Chances are, if you really didn't care, like a true Wiki-apathist, you wouldn't be angry in the first place.
[edit] Expressing your Wiki-apathy
Of course, the best way to express apathy is to simply shrug and move on. Ironically, if one cares enough to support this essay, one can do so with a choice of useboxen:
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