I suspect this is part of the normal lifecycle of Internet forums. A Group Is Its Own Worst Enemy by Clay Shirky is the standard work on the topic.
Contrariwise, a group norm against status rankings does not stop them happening—it just means they form where you’re not looking and bite you in the backside. The Tyranny of Structurelessness by Jo Freeman is the standard work on this topic.
To summarise the summary: people remain a problem.
I suspect this is part of the normal lifecycle of Internet forums. A Group Is Its Own Worst Enemy by Clay Shirky is the standard work on the topic.
Contrariwise, a group norm against status rankings does not stop them happening—it just means they form where you’re not looking and bite you in the backside. The Tyranny of Structurelessness by Jo Freeman is the standard work on this topic.
To summarise the summary: people remain a problem.