New and interesting websites are born everyday. Not all have the same appeal.
Take for example Failin.gs.
On Failin.gs you can create a free account, pass on a link to others, and they can leave anonymous constructive criticism about your character.
According to the screenshots (I wasn’t brave enough to create an account), others can vote on the foibles that others mention about you, and you also have the opportunity to respond (defend yourself?!).
I can see this this type of forum could be helpful for discovering things you didn’t know annoyed others:
“You always arrive late and I find that rude”.
“You sniffle constantly - just blow your nose!”
“You’re not very generous - I always shout you coffee”.
I can also see that it could be quite painful:
“You think you’re funny but you’re not”.
“Your laugh is just annoying”.
Serving in churches I’ve been exposed to a stream of feedback and I’ve noticed several things:
- No one anonymously gives positive feedback. They’re very happy for their name to be associated with this feedback.
- People regularly provide anonymous negative feedback, or ‘constructive criticism’. This is often delivered via the ‘communication cards’ or ‘response slips’ that we fill out during church services. Anonymity seems to enable people to communicate far more abruptly (rudely) than they ever would in person or if they had signed their name at the bottom. Anonymity is also difficult to action - as a recipient of anonymous feedback, you don’t know who is upset/offended/confused, and so there’s no opportunity to follow them up.
I’ve got very little time for anonymous feedback.
If you’re going to provide ‘constructive criticism’ to your pastor, friend or colleague, have the courage to own it, put your name to it, and lovingly share it with a clear desire for their good.
