quora.review

Greetings, Gentle Citizens of the Internet. I'm your host, Socrates Gadfly.

The question before us, is "what is the good?" And more specifically, is Quora good? Is this, our local website Q&A agora, excellent? Can it combine with the gentle Groves of Academe?  And if Quora is not excellent, does it have qualities which will one day allow it to be made capable of excellence?

When I (Socrates) was a citizen of Athens, early in my life I upheld the rule of a tyrant who did very many bad things. Later, when democracy came into fashion, I challenged it, asking many provocative questions. I loved the role of the rabble-rouser and the maker of guerilla theater. I was one of history's first "trolls" defined as people who ask questions not for answers or information, but rhetorically, for various political or mental hygiene purposes. Finally, after enough of this, the citizens were asked by my enemies to ban me for corrupting youth, or else, if I refused to go, make me drink poison. Banning is the worst fate for trolls, as nobody pays attention to them. But I got a lot of attention with the poison, which I chose instead. My friend Plato tells that story.

Quora has some of the same problems as the rulers of Athens, plus many more. It is tyrannical, and people who write for it, sometimes for years, and to great applause, are banned. And not democratically. Its laws are not clear, and they change from day to day. The Rulers or Despots of Quora (for what else may we call them?) own the very publication facilities and workplaces. They own them like a factory, but do not appreciate the volunteers who labor there. These volunteers may be kicked out on any day. The Star Chamber discussions are secret, not public, as are appeals. No records are kept or may be seen. People become what is called, in bad South American countries, "disaperados." 

Sometimes a person may be told they are banned, but only in general why. He may be banned for not being "nice" or "respectful". Specifics are not discussed. A person may be banned for pointing out that a troll is trolling Quora.

But Quora itself almost never bans trolls. They welcome people who ask questions for the same of stirring up trouble, for such people encourage site traffic, clicks on messages, and thus bring in advertising money for Quora. Quora gives people awards for asking questions, even if they are questions such as "How can I keep my fiance' from being so angry with me, that he hits me?" Quora allows people to ask "What is 1+1" It also has robots who ask nonsensical questions for the site, such as "What is the structure of argon?" Other questions could be easily answered on Wikipedia, with which Quora cannot compete (since Wikipedia does not have ads and runs on donations). Yet Quora asks "What is copper?" Clearly somebody at Quora has not thought things through, but Quora does not listen to suggestions.

In fact, suggestions which comes along with the thought that Quora moderators do not know what they are doing, cause banning of the questioner. Disputes between viewpoints often causing banning of both exponents. In many ways, the banning process on Wikipedia (!) is far more just, and proceeds with more "rule of law" and "due process." Which is not saying much.

These problems cause much frustration on Quora, but Quora does not employ volunteers to help. It reserves all power to itself and its small and secret group of moderators, who are almost impossible to contact, and who are too busy to to listen. These people function in total anonymity, something that is forbidden for Quora contributors. Even Wikipedia does not operate so unilaterally and asymmetrically.  Quora is one of the most hypocritical sites on the internet.

Quora competes with other sites which have their own problems, such as Stack Exchange, Yahoo Answers, Google Groups, and others. Like Wikipedia, Quora draws work and expertise from the crowd, but holds individuals in that crowd in contempt. They are not cared for because Quora cannot afford to do it, and doesn't have to do it. They have no rights, no sweat equity. Quora's workers have not unionized, because they are fired before they can. And they have as much right to unionize as workers in any factory do.

And so, we come to this: Quora.Review. Here is the place to talk about Quora in a way which cannot be shut down, blacklisted, and busted by those who make money from Quora. All humans deserve respect. Those who build Quora's database deserve respect. Respect is not given, it is taken. People are powerless alone. But those who do not get respect can organize, agitate, encourage other sites, withhold advice and time, and if absolutely necessary, begin the building of a truly-free and competitive "Quora 2.0" (with some other name, to be determined). One that exists for the sake of excellence, not to line the pockets of cynical investors who do not care how bad the experience or the information on Quora is. Here is the place to discuss all such plans.

I am sure that Quora would not, and will not, be happy with this site. Good!

S.G.  (Member #1, QuorAnon)