Tyranny of the annoying

From GrassrootsPedia

http://www.textbasroacli.com Tyranny of the Annoying - This term was coined to describe a category of activists are poor leaders, and are driven by an over active ego and need for attention. The idea is that there is a tendency for these folks to take over groups because they are simply more determined to do that than others and tend to have more time on their hands than others -- being free of real leadership responsiblities in their families or communities. Once in charge of a group, they become gatekeepers -- and many potential activists will be turned off and disengage upon finding them in charge. One common trait of this kind of "annoying" leader is that they are threatened by other potential leaders, and do what they can to drive them away in subtle ways.

Some have posited that Internet-enable organizing diminishes the power of the "the annoying." For example, when Meetups started to get popular with the Dean for America movement these "gatekeepers" started to loose power because now anyone could organize a meeting. It became more difficult for one person to control things any longer. However, the "tyrannic" dynamic could still be witnessed at many Meetups, and organizing was severely resrticted in some places because of this.

Internet organizing tools that allow for completely free self-organizing have shown the most promise in breaking the "tyranny of the annoying" because they allow anyone to organize their own events and attract new sets of people. No one can make themselves gatekeeper in that situation because anyone is free to organize their own event right next door. Then activists are free to choose to go to the group with the best feeling, the most productivity, etc....

Zack Exley claims to have coined the term "tyanny of the annoying." However, some credit Brian Eno with inventing it.