Let’s talk about something that’s been bothering me lately – the recent controversy surrounding Automattic’s decision to reduce their core support hours. This situation perfectly illustrates a problematic pattern I’ve observed in the WordPress community for years.

Here’s the reality: Automattic has been contributing approximately 4,000 hours per week to WordPress community projects. Let that sink in. At a conservative estimate of $75 per hour (accounting for benefits and overhead), that’s about $15 million annually in community support. Not revenue – pure investment back into the community.

The double standard here is what gets me. When companies like WPEngine choose not to contribute significantly to core development, the community shrugs it off. “It’s their right,” they say. “There’s no law requiring companies to give back to open source.” And you know what? That’s absolutely true.

But watch what happens when Automattic decides to scale back their contributions to focus more on their business interests – suddenly, they’re the villains. The same community that defends other companies’ right to prioritize profits is now up in arms because Automattic is exercising that exact same right.

What’s even more frustrating is the community’s response. Instead of having a constructive dialogue about sustainable community support models, people pile more hate on Matt Mullenweg, as if constant criticism will somehow make him more inclined to listen to them. This approach isn’t just ineffective – it’s toxic.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: This isn’t really about Matt or Automattic. It’s about a community culture that’s become increasingly hostile to leadership. If Matt stepped down tomorrow, his replacement would face the same barrage of criticism and hostility. Why? Because at its core, this behavior stems from something deeper – resentment, jealousy, and a culture that rewards drama over dialogue.

The WordPress community has achieved incredible things over the years, but this pattern of behavior threatens to undermine everything we’ve built. We need to ask ourselves: Are we really angry about reduced core support hours, or are we perpetuating a cycle of toxicity that’s become all too familiar in open source communities?

Maybe instead of pointing fingers, we should be having honest conversations about sustainable community support models, fair contribution expectations, and how to foster a more constructive dialogue between commercial interests and community needs.

But that would require something much harder than posting angry tweets – it would require self-reflection and a willingness to acknowledge our own biases and double standards.