self-governance and the social web

"strive to control what you must, rather than what you can".

people are basically good. but, as Nick Carr points out, until all people are good, self-governing online communities will continue to require assistance with enforcement of consequences for harmful behavior. this is regardless of self-policing mechanisms you put in place (feedback, rankings, algorithms, report this as inappropriate, etc.)

the world is getting trending flatter, while the web remains decidedly unflat. But I disagree with those that say the social web is made up of companies working to perpetuate an illusion of self-governance. I consider it realpolitik for the Internet - interfering when you must, not when you can.