Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Rambi who wrote (35418)	10/25/2001 1:30:22 PM
From: Lane3	Respond to of 82486

There has always been an ebb and flow - sometimes it's silly, sometimes it's ugly, and sometimes there are actually great discussions. Rambi, this is my take on the situation. Since very early in the thread, it has had a bias towards discussion. Sometimes, as you say, the posting has been silly and fun. And sometimes it's gotten ugly. And then we go back to discussion. Like one of those plastic children's toys that you punch and it rocks back and forth and then comes back to upright equilibrium. The thread had that bias, equilibrium, fulcrum, whatever. Some of us have worked to keep it there. Others were indifferent to it. And, from time to time, in came a flock of outside agitators to stir things up and things got fun or ugly, depending on one's perspective on name calling and ganging up to suppress thoughtful arguments. There were different flocks of agitators--cronies or political kin--tribes. They did their thing, they left, and the discussion resumed. This time they didn't leave. The principals of the tribe claimed, with some legitimacy, an originator/ownership status. In doing so, they converted the culture of the thread from idea mode to what appears to be a permanent tribal mode. I don't see us going back to discussion until and unless those principals either leave, cede their special status, or decide that they want to actually develop arguments and discuss issues rather than just champion the tribe. I don't think that any of those options are in their nature. That is my take. Just one opinion among many. FWIW. Karen