From: Alex Ramonsky (alex@ramonsky.com)
Date: Mon Aug 12 2002 - 01:45:56 MDT
E. Shaun Russell wrote:
> [snip]
> It's a mailing list for people with a common philosophy --it's not a
> podium for the most brash participants to boast their self-righteous
> ideological supremacy over and over again to people who, quite
> frankly, don't really care.
>
Does this really need to be said?
Alex Ramonsky wrote:
Well, apparently, yes it does...
> Why?
> 1.Why, if someone sees another person as darkly as some are portrayed,
> do they want to talk to that person in the first place? If they really
> see people as the horrible caricatures they portray, why communicate?
> What's in it for them? That's the real puzzle.
> 2. People thus attacked either (if they're smart) think 'aha, we have
> someone not too bright here who uses personal abuse when their ideas
> seem threatened' and (if they're not so smart) get offended and join
> in, because that kind of stupidity is really infectious unless you're
> immune.
> 3.You very quickly learn not to interact with anyone who's infected.
> So -why do people bother talking in these conditions? Why is it
> tolerated?... If people _really_ don't care, why do they reply?
>
> 4. Why is a bunch of intelligent people apparently unable to control
> (a)the quality of its own mailing list contents and (b)the impression
> it gives to the world online?
> If a line is drawn against stupidity and ignorance anywhere I would
> expect to see that line drawn by extropians. Yes, it's harsh. But it's
> necessary, because if we need freedom from anything, these two are at
> the top of the list.
> It would be such a simple thing to agree to halt all communication
> with anybody using personal abuse. Let them post; just don't reply,
> _Except_ for a cut-off one-liner, such as "This discussion has
> descended into personal abuse and is no longer a reliable indication
> of sentient thought. I therefore withdraw." If half a dozen people
> posted that in reply to abuse, and then _kept their word_ the abuse
> would have nowhere to go, and the people would have a reputation for
> competence in communication.
> Does _this_ really need to be said?
>
> _______
PLEASE note: This is not a personal attack on anybody on this list. I am
not pointing fingers. I am asking what sort of quality in communications
everybody here feels they deserve. The best thing about this list (and
the reason it excels above other such lists, for me), is it's like a
space station...it can give you the experience of 'galaxy-class'
intellects discussing, disputing, reaching conclusions or failing to
reach them, inspiring, arguing...all without prejudice or personal
comment. The worst thing about the ExI list is when it fails to do this.
My appreciation currently outweighs my dismay : )
Ramonsky
..."We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, our last best hope..."
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