answerMug is my utopia. I was born and raised in a small Midwestern town that probably had fewer citizens than answerMug has members now. Though I presently live in a good-sized city, I still carry many of the values I picked up in my youth. I love people of all types, I try to be considerate, and I’m incredibly curious about everything.
A few years ago, I stumbled upon a large Q&A site and became smitten. I met wonderful people from all over the world and learned about cultures and people I never would have otherwise. As many of you may know, these large corporate sites can also be breeding grounds for hate and contempt and I found myself spending less and less time there because I couldn’t stand to watch people tear each other apart. Someone I knew from that large corporate site owned a little Q&A site, and so I ventured over to check it out.
There were about four of us on the site, and a lot of the talk was nonsense, but I felt an instant sense of welcome and made myself at home. Within a few months, the owner invited me on board as an admin, and I helped him develop the site more. In return, he gave it to me. The site was answerMug.
I knew answerMug was not one-of-a-kind in terms of model. Q&A sites are a dime a dozen. What we did have, however, were some very good people who were dedicated to making AM a positive and welcoming place. That was the one thing we did differently.
answerMug never made money, but I was ok with that. It was my home. My sanctuary. My utopia. Every now and then we’d get a new member, but our numbers remained quite small for years. We might get one new member every week or two. In this respect, managing it was easy. I do work a full-time job outside answerMug (I’m a writer), as do all our volunteers and helpers. As each member came in, we were able to greet them and they’d adapt to the site. Each one, carrying the torch- providing a welcoming environment, engaging in civil discussions, educating, and learning. One by one.
Last December, that big corporate site I had been a part of closed without warning. I knew within minutes, because my inbox instantly filled up with messages about people trying to join answerMug. As always, we welcomed the newcomers on board. There were some growing pains, but for the most part, people were just happy to have a place to congregate. At last, answerMug had a diverse group of members. I was over the moon. We talked a lot about whether new policies needed to be made or not. After all, a large site can’t possibly function largely based on trust and expecting people to do the right things. Some people called for harsher punishments and faster bans from the site. After mulling it over, we decided to leave our policies as they are. We’re not here to discipline people. We’re here to facilitate discussions. In order to have that atmosphere, we needed to leave things exactly how they were. In a matter of weeks, the growing pains subsided, and we literally had hundreds of people from everywhere peacefully interacting and sharing.
Then, we all got word that another large corporate site was closing. This time, my inbox exploded. Not knowing where all these people were coming from, I genuinely believed for a moment that someone was playing with me- signing up seven accounts at once. “Seven?!?” I was shocked. The next day, there were 50 and the day after that, 100. You newcomers have rocked our worlds, and have now more than tripled our ranks.
answerMug isn’t like other sites. We do care how our members treat each other. In fact, it’s probably the most important value our site has. We care what you think about improvements for the site, we care whether you feel at home here, and we care how you are treated.
Those of you who are coming in from other sites are probably not familiar with this type of atmosphere. On most sites, it’s dog eat dog. Kill or be killed. So, some of that has carried over. But, the amazing thing is watching the transformation. I have watched the first round of refugees come in and settle. Watched them lay down their swords and I watched them welcome the refugees from the second site’s closing. To me, this is beautiful.
Although we are experiencing some growing pains as everyone adapts to the new culture, I am seeing amazing things every day. I have seen members after only two days here, welcoming newcomers and helping them navigate. I have had multiple people go out of their way to send me emails, comments, and messages thanking me for providing this site. I see people welcoming each other on the chat, encouraging others through the Q&A, blogs, and groups.
Tonight, I sat at my computer exhausted. The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. I tentatively began my rounds. I hesitantly clicked on the chat box to take a peek and make sure all was well. A group of people were having a friendly, lively conversation. Check. I glanced at the Q&A, a little afraid of what I might find. It was full of fresh conversations and peaceful interactions. Check. I moved my mouse over to the photos, thinking, “If I see one more inappropriate photo, I’m going to lose it.” Clean selfies, family pets, and landscape shots were the only things in sight. Check.
It was then that it hit me. I could dwell on the things that frustrate me, but that would undermine all the good things that are happening here. The good things that you all are making happen, because without you, there would be no community.
I can’t count the number of emails I have sent out in the past week. Hundreds. Literally hundreds. A lot of them were corrective in nature… “Be nice,” “Please put statements in the statements group and not in the questions,” “For the love of Pete, put some clothes on before you post an avatar.”
What I have been missing, though, is the chance to connect with you all. The daily admin duties are piling up and I’m not getting out and about like I used to. Today, right now, was the first time I haven’t had to do something admin-related as I ran my rounds. I *think* we are settling in.
Thank you. Thank you for helping create utopia. Thank you for building a community. For laying down your swords. For telling jokes. For sharing stories. Thank you for the thank yous. Most of all, thank you for continuing to make this site feel like home.
