Theos-Talk Archives (April 1996 Message tl01389)

Dear all,

 in the latest 2 weeks I have seen (some of them private) messages from
about 10 people planning or in the process of unsubscribing to this list.
As I feel affections for several of them this is very painful to me.
  This is NOT merely their own problem - every time a group of people
communicates daily, especially on spiritual subjects, they are bound to
have a great effect on each other.
  It is my opinion that in these last weeks we have reached a low ebb of
common decency and mutual respect. It is extremely sad to watch these daily
accusations and allegations. I am almost indifferent to attacks on myself,
but not so with regard to my friends. Every day seems to start with a blow
in the heart region (I read my mail in the morning), and the affects of
staying here seems sinister.
  Having said that, I would like to add that to merely leave seems to be a
unsatifying solution. Similar problems are likely to arise elsewhere. The
personal attacks here are nothing compared to the environment of the
news-groups like alt.buddhism.tibetan. I have seen serious people, even a
lama from Tibet, trying to start a serious thread, again and again being
answered by a choir of disgusting, sexual proposals. Leaving for another
theosophical list (I have already subscribed to the new ones, but have no
intention of leaving here) will only move the problem. Surely most people
here will subscribe as well.
   We are left with the problem of solving such problems - since they are
likely to arise again and again. I have already employed the 2 solutions
below for myself - only I "filter" myself the mail, I delete manually al
least half the arriving posts without reading them. I think it a pity that
the thread system almost disappeared from here, many contributors name each
reply individually and as a consequence one has to read all posts, to be
sure to reply the posts directed at oneself . So many apologies if I now
and then fail to respond.

In friendship and a beginning frown,

Kim
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------
Doss:
>Rudy:

>Let me but in. There are several things that can be done.

>1. Put certain names in your program filter which will direct any
>messages from the individual(s) directly to trash and you will never even
>see it.

>2. Stop responding to any message that you think is not worth continued
>discussion.

>(2) will be very effective if more posters as more people join in and do
>not give opportunity to continue a message chain.

>There may be other techniques that work. I would like to hear of any more
>creative ideas.

	....doss

>PS: Unsubscribeing is not the best answer, IMHO.