If you choose to cut your losses and move on, hopefully having learned a thing
or two, and you eschew further discussion on this subject and avoid future
statements that further reinforce the negative attitudes about, you would likely
still have to endure a certain amount of grief off and on, but eventually the
problem would largely dissipate.
I doubt that, frankly. I did do precisely what you suggest. I publicly announced a lengthy halt in my postings on the matter, and stuck with it even as other people kept attacking me. But before the time was up, yuou're right, it had largely dissipated, and I really thought things would move on.
But then several of the posse realised that this might be happening, and obviously couldn't stand the thought that I would "get away" with whatever they think it was getting away with, and plunged back in to reopen the whole thing and rehash it all over.
I think you underestimate the animus of the posse and their self-appointed roles as harpies. It may be that in five or ten years their animus will dissipate, but at this point I see no signs of that. Even those who claim they have moved on make sure to follow this thread and pop in with little barbs when they see the opportunity.
Choosing to fess up is a riskier and less predictable approach, although the benefits might be greater and more
immediate. Or not.
Again, I think not. No matter what I say the posse will either not believe it or not care. So there seems to be no point. Appeasement has never seemed to me a very productive strategy. |
