RE: THANKS! Re: It's time to go

["Lisa Wright" <liwright -at- earthlink -dot- net>]

I must say I was shocked by the tone of many of the responses to the
anonymous poster. Made me wonder if those were the same hands they use
to type e-mails to their mothers! I don't believe that rationalizing
such hostility as "the economy" or any other factor is an excuse. It was
mean and completely inappropriate. Eric, I don't know how much more you
can do about such things, which I do think have gotten more prevalent.
There is value in letting us police our own conduct, and I think it's a
shame that most of your admin duties have turned into "children,
behave!"

On the other hand, there are plenty of examples of posters asking for
advice and then just not liking the answers they get. In that case I
think it is a matter of understanding that you are opening yourself to
individual interpretation and you have to take what you get. It's too
bad that so much of it turns into personal attacks, though. We shouldn't
have to expect THAT.

The way I see it, some of the problem is definitely familiarity with the
personalities on the list. Only time and continued reading can take care
of that for each individual. And then once we know what each person's
hot button issues are, we have to choose whether to respond or not. A
few weeks ago someone threw out a familiar provocation. I read it and
thought, "oh, I hope she doesn't take the bait." WHAM! Dozens of
messages. There were some useful perspectives, but it started out and
remained a largely polarized discussion.

So next time, maybe don't take the bait. There's another regular
contributor who oh-so-neatly turns the most naked provocation back into
interesting, thoughtful dialog. And of course we can always call each
other's rhetorical tricks for what they are and thus defuse them.

Lots to consider, for sure.

Lisa 


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