Thanks for this opportunity to clarify, Dale.
You get called in for the personal attacks, profanity and schoolyard behavior that detract from an interesting stock discussion but generate a lot of page views.
I phrased my statement rather poorly. In retrospect, I stick by what I said, but should've added the following for clarification:
"I like this stock." "So do I. It's a nice stock." (what I mean when I say "too civil") would be breathtakingly boring and completely useless.
I've said before that I learn more from those who disagree with me than from those who agree with me. That applies to the stock market and SI more than anywhere else. Or, at least, the stock market is where I think one should pay the most attention to those who disagree.
If I say I expect earnings to come in at such-and-such an amount and am long the stock because of it, but you expect earnings to be much lower and are short because of it, we're going to disagree and need to discuss it. The ensuing conversation (within the site's rules of engagements -- no vulgarity, no personal attacks, etc) will be enlightening to everyone who reads it and hopefully to one or both of us. Ideally, many will participate, and all of us get a good idea of overall market sentiment based on the exchange. And hopefully we all learn something we didn't know before.
Anyway, civil is good. We can have an outright argument and still be civil about it.
I like to think that a major part of this site's appeal is the breadth of knowledge of the participants and the learning that happens when experts who disagree with each other start trying to convince each other.
But it is never acceptable (or necessary for mature people) to drag playground-like conduct into it. Speaking for myself as a person, when I see it I dismiss nearly anything that person has to say. We know what my position on it is as an Admin().
If someone presents a view contrary to mine without calling me an idiot in the process, I pay very close attention.
Bob
PS. Contrary to popular belief, I have no idea how hit rates are going for the site and do not concern myself with it. It's a stat I'd rather not know. Of course, I want the site to be successful, but the fact that an argument full of personal attacks might be "interesting" is irrelevant where I'm concerned. It violates the rules and I try to squelch it, hits or no. |
