Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00766)

> > >To Michelle and Doss:
> >
> > Don't you think you're generating a tempest in a teapot? It takes perhaps
a
>
> NO I dont. Take note of the number of resignations from this list for
> a start! When a list is small and the traffic light it doesnt matter
> too much to most users if the noise ratio is high. But this list is
> now large and if its purpose is to provide a public forum for the
> discussion of theosophy and if we want people to lurk, participate and
> stay then we need to consider what is discussed.


Count me in.  I am one of the poor unfortunates who couldn't take the "noise"
and left for a while.  It regularly occurs to me to leave again.  A few jokes
and one-liner, sure, but at LEAST half the messages are that.

It occurs to me that there are very different attitudes about what this list
is for.  Some seem to feel that this list is for their personal
entertainment, and they get to say what will go on here.  I agree with
Michelle (whom I don't know personally) that this list is to my mind more of
a public service, a space for new-comers and old timers to get together and
talk about Theosophy.  If there are spin-off discussions, or a series of
jokes that people want to tell, take it to personal e-mail.  And if you want
five people to read your personal stuff and jokes, cc. your post to them.

I am VERY tired of deleting stuff, it's NOT just a couple a day.  And this is
NOT an attempt as censorship, because there is no way to "enforce" this plea
for sanity.  Rather, I (and apparently Doss and Michelle) are asking for us
to SELF-POLICE ourselves and see that we post relevant stuff which at least
some large part of the list might be interested.  I regularly write in my
posts (like with "HPB's sources") that we can take it off list, and many
people e-mail me privately every day to talk about stuff they read on the
list.  Other times, people ask for certain topics to stay ON the public list.
 This I take to mean there is a general interest.

But when I want to send a comment to Eldon or JHE or whoever, I send it to
them personally.

This doesn't seem to me like a black-hearted attempt to seize power and
control the board !  Just a request for consideration and compassion.  And as
the list gets bigger, with over 50 messages a day now, it is a more and more
urgent request, as Michelle suggests....