STANDARD THREAD #5.2 "Deterioration of list quality", was Re: One humanity, all in the same boat

From: Michael M. Butler (butler@comp-lib.org)
Date: Thu Dec 27 2001 - 23:37:33 MST


James Rogers wrote:
>
> On 12/24/01 1:17 AM, "Mike Linksvayer" <ml@gondwanaland.com> wrote:
> > In the
> > early years of this list (a decade ago!?) the state was something
> > to be smashed, or at least completely avoided, and race, sex, and
> > sexual orientation were annoying baggage that could and should be
> > thrown off ASAP. We were racial/ethnic mongrels already, and sex
> > would be infinitely mutable with transhuman technology, so what of
> > it?
>
> Yeah, what the hell happened to that list? I'm trying to figure out
> when/where I left it for a current events discussion list...
>
> -James Rogers
> jamesr@best.com

Harvey or E!Shaun or somebody FAQ-worthy ought to create a numeric index for this sort of
commentary--this one's root would be a low single digit. I'm picking 5 arbitrarily for this post.

Hmm. Well, let's think of possibilities. Ah! Here's one!
--Current events shunted you to a next-door universe where people's
circles of concern contracted as their circles of influence failed
to expand?

Or...
--A decade ago we were all a decade younger?

Or...
--We are acting like threatened social creatures because that's what we evolved as, and there's a fresh stressor in
effect?

Let's all play the "why aren't we having fun?" game! It's...
well, it isn't fun, actually.

There are still a few (less strident than others, and less prolific) voices
that sound like that old list is reported to have sounded. If the
list constituency is less like-minded, or less firebreathing, gee
whiz. Blame regression to a mean, or fatigue, or diaspora, or anything.
Anders seems to be doing OK, and Mr. Bradbury has been no slouch overall.

And me? I already said I was too "Neg" to be on this list.

M

-- 
 MMB is reachable via butler at comp dash lib dot o r g
* My moronic mnemonic for smart behavior: "DICKS"  ==  *
* diplomacy, integrity, courage, kindness, skepticism. *


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