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To: Solon who wrote (5827)	3/30/2002 11:03:06 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 21057

Ridicule has only one problem. It only appeals to people who already agree with you. It does absolutely nothing to help people on the other side of the ridicule understand what you are talking about. In fact, once you ridicule people or their ideas (and some people are so close to their ideas, they are clearly one and the same- as far as they are concerned) they are simply going to look for ways to get back at you, instead of actually thinking about ideas. If you want to get people to think about something, and those people don't think the way you do, ridicule is not the best tool in the tool box. I happen to love ridicule and find it fabulously entertaining- but it isn't useful for enlightening anyone, who isn't already a convert.

To: Solon who wrote (5827)	3/30/2002 11:17:20 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21057

But it is a mistake to equate unconstructive with not nice-and vice versa. I did not mean to imply I was equating the two. I put them in separate paragraphs but should have been clearer. I consider nice and constructive two different matters. One is about how we treat other people and social lubricant. The other is about what is effective. I have no objection to anyone choosing effectiveness over niceness. If there's something worthwhile to be gained by not being nice, I'd say to go for it. If being condescending or sarcastic makes someone see a point that they wouldn't have seen otherwise, then it's worth it, IMO. The problem is that I don't see it being effective. It seems like it ought to be, but it isn't. Most of the time, people just dig in and quit listening when they're mocked rather than wondering if maybe the mocker has a point. So I would question my motivation before mocking anyone. I might be sufficiently frustrated that I decide to just let it fly to make myself feel better, but I don't want to confuse that with being effective. But any attempt to elevate the ridiculous to the sober and the serious is one that may be righteously opposed. I didn't expect you to agree. I reserved the right to be irreverent, as well. (I will duly add a winkie for Marie.) I just hope I can express it without contempt.