I know that Elon Musk gets a lot of hate on here, but hear me out.

I think we could hate him more. We have the capacity, we all just need to put in a little more effort.

Today in "horrors beyond mortal comprehension" I learned that there is an abandoned Mr Blobby theme park in Somerset, and would like to propose it as the location of the 2027 UK Fedi meetup.

https://archive.is/A4KtK

#showerthoughs #ukpol

Burnham's increased mayoral powers is all about forcing through datacenters.

@informapirata @betelgeuse93 @steek_hutzee come ci sono persone che pur di farsi accettare dal gruppo fanno cavolate, c'è gente che non vuole fare la figura dell' impedito e si sforza di non essere di intralcio alla vita degli altri ( che sembrano i giusti)

@Bonfire's remote interaction popup page is quite nice, I haven't seen one where all three (remote, login, signup) options were available in one place like this

Mastodon/Fedi is the social network for people who read the encyclopedia for fun as a kid 🤔

@andyn @andycarolan @tekphloyd I'm not a subscriber to MacStories but I'd listen to their podcast from time to time. I certainly wish them no ill will.

This is a company trying everything they can to stay afloat. I've been there with my own failed company. It's not fun.

@phillycodehound Where CMS is short for "ecosystem of plugins around the platform that reached critical mass first"

@normjess maybe you could set up a crowdfunder

@jfmarchandise 😥

The Reason Many People Don’t Volunteer (It’s Not Time)

Last week I was sat in a room filled with a load of really passionate people who had come together to discuss creating a Community Newspaper. The ideas were flowing. The questions were flying about and the enthusiasm was there. But when it came to the crunch; “Hands up who wants to be part of the initial steering committee?” all that momentum came crashing to a halt. The hands did not come up.

It’s easy to think “Nobody has the time” and that’s the problem, but there is a bigger issue that holds people back. People don’t like to let other people down. Not wanting to let people down is perhaps a bigger barrier to getting people to volunteer than time.

This morning I got a very similar response talking to a gentleman about a regeneration project in my local park. He was initially reluctant to sign up because he just didn’t know if he could commit the time needed to the project. When I explained that he wasn’t obligated to come to every event and he could pick the ones that suited him, he was happy to sign up.

This is not a new observation to anyone working in this field. It’s called “commitment anxiety” or “anticipatory guilt.”: the fear that saying yes means taking responsibility for others’ expectations. When people worry about letting down their neighbours, friends, or community members who are counting on them, the social cost of failing outweighs the benefit of contributing.

On top of this there are a few other dimensions to this problem.

Social Risk vs. Practical Constraint: The “no time” explanation is socially safer. It’s concrete and feels less personal. Admitting fear of disappointing others would mean admitting vulnerability. So “time” becomes the convenient public reason while the real barrier sits beneath the surface.

Diffused Responsibility Paradox: Ironically, the stronger the group enthusiasm, the harder it can be for individuals to commit. When everyone seems passionate and capable, each person may think “someone else will take this lead.” The momentum of collective excitement can actually suppress individual action because nobody wants to stand out or fail publicly. This feels very much like what I experienced in the Community Newspaper meeting.

Perfectionism in Community Projects: Community initiatives carry emotional weight beyond transactional tasks. People worry they’ll damage relationships if the project struggles, not just that a deadline might be missed. That stakes-raising makes the ask more daunting than a typical volunteer opportunity.

So, is there anything we can learn from this? Are there any tips or tricks to get people to volunteer that sidestep these issues?

Small, time-bound trial commitments: EG “It’s just for 6 weeks, then we reassess” This lowers the perceived risk and gives people a really clear escape route, after 6 weeks. And then they can say “I don’t have time…” Instead of “join the steering committee,” try “come to one planning session next Thursday.” Each micro-commitment builds identity alignment and people start seeing themselves as someone who shows up. Once that self-image forms, larger commitments feel like a natural extension rather than a leap.

Making roles modular rather than monolithic: Let’s people contribute pieces without owning outcomes. Let’s people decide what they do, and when, so they feel like they are in control. Instead of giving people a task, ask them “What do you want to do?” and invite them to commit on their own terms. Also in an established organisation you can create a Shadowing Option so people can understand the scope before committing, offering a “shadow” role first.

Explicitly naming the fear: “I know saying yes feels daunting right now but…” This can reduce its power. Make it clear that quitting in 12 weeks is better than contributing nothing at all. Normalise exit on-ramps. Make leaving frictionless and guilt-free from the outset. Something like: “Anyone who joins the steering committee can step back at any point, no explanation needed.” When people know the door swings open both ways, commitment feels less like a trap. The irony is that making it easy to leave often makes people stay longer.

So that’s it. I wish I had all that in my head last week! For my Regen project simply getting people onto a mailing list is the big thing. Allowing people to passively sit in the background as potential volunteers until the day comes when they are in a position to volunteer pays off.

Spider-Man has a GoFundMe.

https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2026/08/24/support-your-friendly-neighborhood-spider-man/

@tinker Better is good. Hang in there. The hellswamp awaits.

@shoko לא נגלה להם

hello! i'm vonnie, an #artist + #illustrator from the netherlands and this is my first post on mastodon art! 🌈 i love making art and illustrations! i also sell colourful prints, stationery, stickers and other fun things! #introduction #newhere