Theos-Talk Archives (July 1996 Message tl00264)

> ...[Richard Ihle writes]...
> Welcome to the list to you both.


Thank you. I have a few comments below. For the most part, I am in 
total agreement with some of your points. (You'll find that I generally
reply to the things I find enlightening...or things I agree with. I'm 
not much of a quibbler.)


> not referring to forceful arguing about ideas etc.; rather, I am talking
> about ~anything goes~ in terms of unkindness, name-calling, and general abuse
> of other people on the list.


I think you are absolutely right about that...and I am not suggesting the
type of anarchy that promotes the free-for-all rudeness that is all
over most of the Internet. Personally, I don't like that lack of
civility and will delete it immediately. I see nothing wrong with
having some sort of agreement when signing up for the list that will
make that kind of behavior unacceptable. After all, one of the strongest
bases of freedom is that if I am free to express my ideas ... so are you. 
In the end, none of us can "prove" we are right and someone else is
wrong. I know for sure that *I* am not wise enough to judge someone
else's reality. 


> Will you two be around in a few months?


Yes. I will. But I do use killfiles...and if someone is too negative, 
I just put them in my killfile. I really don't need that junk in
my life. 

>  If you need
> corroboration, just ask Bee


I don't need corroboration. It seems to be a cycle that mailing
lists go through. 


>--because it seems like it is only by chance or
> good fortune that we have her back now


I agree entirely. I wouldn't want to lose her wisdom -- and she seems
to have a great deal of it. 


> ~anything goes~ not merely applying to the free exchange of ideas, but
> ~anything goes~ extended to the level of insult/hatred/ridicule we allow
> ourselves to send to one another as well.


Okay. I understand you totally...and agree entirely...but I would
like to see it as part of the agreement that goes along with signing
up for the list...and that people will monitor themselves on 
that. When someone's post really, really pisses me off, I usually
wait a day to respond...if I consider it to be worth posting about
it at all. 


bcs
-- -- 
Baltimore Chessman-Sweeney                     "I strive to be the person
                                                my dog thinks I am."
e-mail: shaman@primenet.com
        balto1@rtd.com