On the "Un-Ching!" and why it's "Un-"necessary.
Let's use E2's ratings systems as a metaphor for methods of positive and
negative ratings of employees in the workplace.
Think of upvotes and downvotes as positive and negative notes left in one's
file in the Human Resources department. Too many downvotes and it sucks to be
you. You'll probably leave because you're not cut out for the corporate
culture of where you're at. After all, who but the most clueless employee would
endure more than two or three of those discussions which begin with one's
supervisor or a member of the Human Resources team closing his/her office door
on the two of you, sitting down, sighing, and discussing why a negative
notation's been put in your HR file.
Now think of a Ching! as the earning of the distinction of "Employee of the
Week." Well, kinda.
Given the above definition of Ching!, then Un-Ching! is kinda like one's
boss, or one's boss's boss, posting a sign in the coffee-room which says
"[Insert Name Here] is a worthless idiot whose last project sucked!" Guess what?
That just doesn't go on. Not, at least, in any businesses that I'm familiar
with.
Now, of course, business does, arguably, have its own version of the Un-Ching!;
however, it usually happens when one employee harasses another, steals or
defaces company property, or commits a similar act of malfeasance. Typically,
such behavior results in termination. At E2 it means one's account is locked and
alternative login names from one's IP address are quashed promptly.
BEGIN SARCASM MODE
Perhaps there is a good side to the "Un-Ching!" E2 wouldn't
need Content Editors any longer because enough Un-Ching!s would no doubt
automatically blast a writeup into Node Heaven.
Currently, it's up to all of us who spot a writeup which causes us
to go "Ugh," or "Ack!," or "Oh, the humanity..." to /msg the offending writer
and explain in explicit detail why their writeup is unworthy of existence. Then,
one will need to go through the back-and-forth of rational argument with said
writer until one has "sold" said writer on immediately putting a writeup
deletion request for his/her own crappy piece of trite, meaningless verbal
vomitus.
Of course, once the "Un-Ching!" is implemented, we'll need not go through
such troublesome processes.
END SARCASM MODE
I am aware that, as some have /msged me, E2 is not a business. I'm just using this model as an example.
But seriously, folks:
Explained, it's certainly not (if you're old enough to remember) the same "un" as used in the innovative soda ad from the '70s: "The
Un-Cola" nor nearly as brilliant an idea. Un-Ching is a "negative" thing, not a "different" thing.
"Not." "Nor." "Un-" (Unaccounted for, Unappreciated, Undoing,
etc.) "Not."
Negative.
A Ching! is positive, an affirmation that one's work is good.
Does E2 need any more negativity? Does E2 need a new vehicle for unleashing
bad vibes?
Feedback:
14 Nov 07: General Wesc says re unChing!: It's not Insert Name Here is a worthless idiot whose last project sucked!" It's merely "This project sucked!" The "I'm a worthless idiot" is something the recipient thinks himself.
14 Nov 07: rootbeer277 says "Personally, I think that unless it's a solution to an existing problem, which it clearly isn't, it's better off not existing."