Bernie, OFF TOPIC
1. <<Re: your opinion on how Henry & tonyt (& others) ought to conduct themselves on this thread.>>
Unless I missed something, what we were discussing was your opinion on how others ought to conduct themselves on this thread, generally, that we/they stop complaining and stop demanding (your term) changes in the way others post.
2. <<In my post to you numbered 19288, I told you I'd love to hear your answer to 2 questions. The first question was." Who has the right to tell him (Henry) to do it their way?" The other question was,." To whom does he owe how, what, when, where, or why to post?"I would still like to hear your specific answer to each of these posts. You, of course, may choose to continue avoiding these questions. That is your prerogative.>>
I think that these questions are irrelevant to the legitimate points you were making, but just to get them out of the way: Q. Who has the right...? Ans. Everyone. Q. To whom does he [or anyone] owe... Ans. That depends on what he posts. Trivial examples: He's not obligated to anyone to post anything, and is certainly free not to post at all (which would be a great loss for the thread). OTOH, he starts posting the entire San Diego phone directory, one entry per post, that would create a problem the webmistress would quickly address. In general, I think it is meaningless to postulate about rights and obligations absent a social framework in which to view them. Typically for our times, you take matters that should be decided by maturity, judgement and manners, for instance, and convert them into assertions about rights and about obligations, which you just as typically fail to recognize. Rights, heck, everybody's got rights. Lots and lots and lots of them. An unlimited number. School kids have the right to mow down their classmates with semi-automatic weapons, the authorities have the right to try to put them in jail. Your neighbor has the right to let his dog run wild through the neighborhood, you have the right to call animal control. The neighbors have a right to have their loud drunken party outside your bedroom window at 4 in the morning, you have the right to call the police. The motorist who was behind you has the right to come up around you and cut you off the road, you have the right to try not to crash. Lots and lots and lots of rights. Such an explosion in the number of rights, naturally conflicting, that one sees a parallel and equal explosion in the number of laws, policeman, lawyers and courts to deal with them all. Shucks, join the crowd Bernie, have all the rights you want.
3. <<Would you believe my spiritual counselors were put to death in California via a cocktail of applesauce & drugs while they were waiting for their spaceship to come & take them to a better place? Whether you would or not is immaterial.>>
Hmmm...bummer. Maybe it's time to seek spiritual guidance from another source. Your parents perhaps?
4. <<In the real world, we have found that financial compensation is the generally accepted medium of exchange for services. There are those who try to impose barter, praise, awards, & various other schemes. But most of them don't wash. Here, of course, I refer to both the schemes & the schemers.>>
I hope this way of thinking does not become too all pervasive, or we will not be able to look forward to following the activities of the youth soccer teams. I suppose we could pay them...but I do hope that they wash
5. <<But, I would have to wonder why you describe the audience here as "unreceptive, disbelieving or uncomprehending" and 6 lines later tell us that they are those "who have made what in )your) view are reasonably friendly requests & suggestions" to Henry & tonyt to do things the way this audience wants.>>
There is no contradiction in this. Taking an example involving receptiveness, solely for the purpose of illustration: someone may tell you, as a friend, in a friendly way, that by telling the same story (or joke) repeatedly, to people who have already heard it, over and over and over again, say at family gatherings, parties, work, etc., that you are boring the hell out of everyone and making an ass of yourself. Why would you wonder at someone pointing this out, if it were indeed true?
6. <<I also, could not fail to notice your characterization of the posts & their frequency. Ad nauseum, as our threadsters know, means "to the point of nausea " in Latin.>>
If you are quibbling with my choice of words, fine, you don't like my choice of words. If you are questioning the phenomenon, I suggest you review the posts about which you, remember, were originally complaining. Phrases like, "I am sick of..." stand out.
7. <<And, I'm sure Henry & tonyt have not failed to notice how you compared their activities to those that would exacerbate the matrons & wardens of political correctness.>>
Sorry, this one escapes me, I don't have a clue what you are talking about.
8. <<The "stormtroopers" that you invented are a potent reminder to many of those whose relatives have been victimized by them. It is the usual call to rouse the victims to victimize others. I'd be surprised if it worked here.>>
You make a legitimate point about the rhetorical use of these types of images, one that I appreciate your pointing out and will take to heart. On the other hand, if memory serves, it was you who originally likened posters requests which you find unreasonable to an attempt to impose a communist regime. I didn't have a catchy word for cadres of the Khmer Rouge or agents of the KGB, who I don't consider sweethearts either, so I may have gotten a bit sloppy. However, it is clear from the original context, which you choose to ignore, that I was saying that these demons do not, as you seemed to imply, exist in the persons of the posters on this thread with whom you take issue. In that context, they are clearly no more stormtroopers than they are members of the Red Guard. Speak to yourself about this.
9. <<Sometimes, it's a projection of their own concerns upon another.>>
And sometimes it's simply a polite reminder, and sometimes it's simply calling a spade a spade. Maturity, wisdom, social accomplishment - these are what are required to know the difference.
10. <<We can hopefully disagree on this & others points & remain colleagues.>>
Just so long as you don't start posting the San Diego phone book.
John |
