Controversy can be a good thing sometimes - it can inspire community interaction, increase visitor activity, spread the word about your site, and challenge people to take a stand on something meaningful. The problem with this concept is that it is entirely overused already.
I see the concept being overused by mainstream media to a point where it's annoying. Some political shows exist simply to get a rise out of people. The Minnesota Star Tribune made a name for itself by offering up the Minnesota Vikings for sacrifice any chance they had. But where I see the most offensive violations are on message boards where a few personalities exist simply to generate page views and interaction.
It's an OK short term solution if you want to inspire people to get going, but long term all it does is push people away from the community. Nobody wants to visit a website daily that gives them a headache. If you really want to spurn community interaction through controversy, play the devil's advocate and let the community band together to win the argument against you. At least then, you've instilled a little bit of community spirit and a modicum of bonding amongst your members.
There are other ways to inspire community interaction that can be fun - member surveys or polls, encouraging participation in viral elements (even off your site), opening up topics for discussion that most visitors would be able to relate to, simple Q&A, or if all else fails - contests.
Make it a point to include members that are on the fringe of becoming long term supporters - people that post semi-regularly, but you see lurking in your stats. Break through the online cliques by pointing out a new member who is already becoming a valuable part of your community.
Controversy can generate page views, but community building is done one member at a time. Pay attention to the community as a participant and you will end up with far greater reach than somebody else with a limited communication strategy.
Talk About Taking Controversy Too Far
