[Noisebridge-discuss] Having a discussion about the kitchen

[James Sundquist]

Last night there was a lengthy discussion about communal usage of the
kitchen that spontaneously lasted from 9 - 11:30.  Coffee and cake were
served.  We talked about do-ocracy, responsibility, and how to have
effective communication about the kitchen.

A big take away was that people need to talk about this in-person and
consider how it impacts everyone, because removing the kitchen will not
remove Noisebridge's problems by itself.  I just want to note that this
really was a discussion, which included everyone being able to speak their
mind while being respected; the point of talking was to gain perspective by
asking questions rather than talking over others.

1) A big reason the daily users of the kitchen do not respect you is
because they do not know you or feel any connection in the space without a
communal kitchen.  Any valid concerns of those who want to disable are
unknown to the daily users of the kitchen.

2) There is no clear understanding of how to properly use the kitchen. The
average person in the kitchen does not understand how to wash a dish and
has an opportunity to be taught. Once again a couple people are mobilized
to micromanage the kitchen, but there is no greater community understanding.

3) It is difficult to know how capable we all are of having a respectful
conversation to allows people to maintain their dignity, because community
building should be the goal when people are in conflict.

4) A big part of this as I understood it was reassessing how people are
introduced to this space.  Example, "Welcome to Noisebridge; we're a 501c3
Non-profit that encourages education and learning by doing.  This is a
Do-It-Yourself space so at a base minimum you're expected to wash your own
dishes and keep your work area clean for the next person."
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