| | Thanks, Daniel, for bringing this up!
My own opinion for what it's worth - and it meshes very well with your own views, it seems - is that the conferring, if you will, of designations/titles (Teacher, Elder, etc.) should NOT be encouraged or propagated on DhO. To echo your own thought on this, there is enough empirical evidence - alright, I admit it is only based on my own experience on DhO - to suggest that a gradual convergence of opinions leads to a transfer of a lot of fruitful/beneficial ideas in the long term. As a practitioner, I would rather receive feedback in an informal (but hardcore dharma-style manner, of course) on any point related to practice that I may be be stuck on rather than hear some weighty remarks delivered by a designated "Teacher." Maybe this has got more to do with an anarchist bent of mind that I have, but I am usually averse to the notion of formal titles. Wisdom, as you pointed out, has the remarkable quality of shining out, no matter what conventions people follow or adhere to.
Of course, I concede there is the issue related to confusion that may affect beginners who may not immediately know who really knows what and also may not be able to separate the grain from the chaff (read useful knowledge from chatter), but my feeling is that within a month or so such a beginner's working knowledge on actual practice can certainly be brought up to speed. It must be remembered that the average DhO member discovers this site through an incessant quest and that after reading several posts he/she is smart enough to determine what is useful from what is useless.
Finally, there is the question of a Dharma Wiki that I fervently believe should be addressed as soon as possible. I am aware you (along with Vince and others) are working on this and that by June/July we will have something to work on. |