👻 Wanna build a ghost town?

Over the years, I've witnessed the slow death of countless online communities. I've collected these observations from digital graveyards I've visited. Some communities were built by others. Some were painfully built by yours truly.

For fun, I've assembled these community-destroying tactics into fight club rules. These are the exactly what you'd want on a "Community Building Worst Practices" poster.

Please make sure your hands and feet stay firmly inside this email, and that your tongue is firmly within your cheek.

Also. We don't talk about these rules. wink

FIRST RULE OF COMMUNITY DESTRUCTION: ALWAYS wait for perfect technology.

For the love of all things holy, make sure you delay launching until your platform has every bell and whistle imaginable. Nothing kills community momentum like spending 18 months "perfecting" your setup.

Don't worry! Your audience will find somewhere else to hang out while you build the Taj Mahal. People would MUCH rather join a flawless ghost town than a slightly imperfect party.

Good news! We finally launched. Bad news? Everyone else already found another tavern.

SECOND RULE: Isolation is your friend. Embrace it.

Whatever you do, DON'T facilitate actual human connections. The secret to a properly dead community is ensuring everyone feels alone together. Keep those engagement prompts vague: "What do you all think?" Guaranteed crickets. After all, "Community" is just a buzzword, not something people actually need.

THIRD RULE: Trap people into staying.

Make leaving harder than canceling a gym membership. Nothing says "we value you" like making people feel trapped!

FOURTH RULE: Always go big - aim for massive group interactions only.

Never create small breakout spaces or facilitate intimate conversations. Masters of community destruction know a secret. Throwing 200 strangers into a Zoom call with no structure creates awkward silence. Mass exodus follows shortly after.

FIFTH RULE: Quantity over quality, always.

More posts! More emails! More notifications! The secret sauce to community destruction is overwhelming everyone. Fill their feeds with meaningless content. They'll mute you faster than a boring Zoom presenter. I've seen communities implode under daily announcement avalanches.

This resting face isn't exasperation. It’s the permanent look of notification-induced despair.

SIXTH RULE: Maintain a perfect, polished facade at all costs.

Never let them see you sweat, struggle, or—heaven forbid—be human. Community members LOVE interacting with flawless robots. Nothing kills emotional connection faster than pretending you're infallible. Successful community destroyers never show weakness.

SEVENTH RULE: End all interactions right on schedule.

Magic happening in the chat? Energy flowing? Connections forming? Perfect time to announce: "Well, that's all we have time for today!" Nothing destroys organic community growth like rigid schedules. Your agenda is infinitely more important than human connection.

EIGHTH RULE: Lurking is the ideal participation model.

For expert-level community destruction, make first participation terrifying. Create a barrier so high that 95% would rather eat glass than contribute. Never create safe on-ramps. The best communities are just like high school. A few loud people talk while everyone watches in silent terror.

If this email made you laugh, then my mission for the day has been accomplished. If this email made you laugh but also cringe inwardly at past transgressions, then you're in good company. If you're wondering what the opposite of these community killing rules are, then why not stop by the Come Wright Inn and chat with me? I've got your back on this one.