Lenof21 wrote:
In article , "Kim"
writes:


"N2EY" wrote in message
...

In article , Mike Coslo
writes:


N2EY wrote:

In article ,



(Len Over 21) writes:

In article ,



(N2EY) writes:

This all relates to amateur radio in a very basic way:

Unfortunately, it does NOT.

Yes it does! ;-)

All it points out is that you are using
this newsgroup as a general chat room to talk about ANY subject
instead of focussing on amateur radio policy.

I think you don't like the fact that it does relate.

In the end, Who cares?

Len obviously cares a lot.


It is our newsgroup, and if you and I want to
talk about politics or an obscure Kert Vonnegut story, or if Bria wants
to talk about the boy scouts, or if Len wants to talk about sphinctors,
then "it's all good, man".

I don't know if "it's all good", but that doesn't really matter. This is

an

unmoderated newsgroup, and while Len may want to be the moderator, he just
isn't.


I like the little side trips. It allows us to
get to know each other better.

I couldn't follow who posted what above, but I think whoever said "It allows
us to get to know each other better" may need just a little bit of a reality
check. This is an "online" venue, and I don't believe that this allows for
getting to "know" anyone. OK, maybe slightly...and then only in a few
cases.


Astute observation, Kim! :-)

The "getting to know each other better" phrase is part of the 'standard
boilerplate' of PC phrasing done to make the writer appear like they
know much more than they do, yet tolerate all others in some
curious fashion of the nobility. [i.e., they are "better" because they
tolerate the "inferiors" :-) ]

If you wanted to state that I "tolerate" you, I guess you could say
that without me getting riled. But to try to say I am tolerating
"inferiors", well that is just not the case. There isn't anyone in here
that I consider inferior.

For instance, the internet, chat rooms, and newsgroups are the greatest
playground for playing Devil's Advocate or even downright antagonism, or
inciting "a riot" so to speak! I know I can get certain people going in a
heart beat of a stroke of a few keys of my keyboard, and they'll look pretty
darned idiotic to most who may have been taking them seriously...


Heh heh heh. The beauty of computer-modem communications
have been demonstrated time and time again since ARPANET
evolved to allow messaging, thus creating the original USENET
(acronym for 'university network').

Isolated by time and space, anyone can "let their hair down" and
feel free to vent all their frustrations, spleens, and (sometimes)
waste-management organs on others.

Yup. It also shows a lot about the person that they are. DO people
think that comparing others with the Nazis or to call each other an
endless barrage of names is not showing a personality trait?

It is.


They can do so in the
apparent "safety" of the time and space isolation provided by the
computer-modem linkage. None of it is real-time communications.

The examples are ripe/rife in this newsgroup when it comes to
highly-polarized issues. :-)

Ain't that the Truf?


In a short, don't ever think that this (the internet) is the medium of
humanism, or personalization, or "knowing" others. It just ain't so...


Those few of us who had been a part of the "social" Bulletin
Board Systems (as I had beginning 20 years ago) learned very
quickly that the computer personna of some individuals was
quite different from the in-person one.

But that does not mean that the computer persona is not a part of the
person's whole persona.

It is. If the personas are radically different, it simply shows that
there are some issues that should be dealt with.

Computer-modem communications is only slightly less devoid of
the very impersonal radiotelegraphy contact that offers none of
the sensory clues of in-person acquaintenceship...no sight, sound,
or anything else about the other person. With the computer-modem
linkage one gets to see the other's ability to put words together (in
varying degreees of coherency), some slight picturing of education
experience.

What everyone can get is much of the slanted propagandizing of
various organizations and groups, parroted phrasing repeated by
some others as if they were the blessed sayings of the divine.
That is carried over to all forms of beliefs from hobbies to politics.
Some of the Believers can get Outraged at any negativisms of the
Belief System they have bought (or been psychologically
purchased) into and seem to want to Fight To The Death about it.
Computer-modem communications allows them to express their
Compleat Anger quickly...and so the infamous Flame Wars begin.

The unfortunate side of the coin is that the same technology that
allows widespread textual communications also allows storage
of all the communiques for a long time, reproduction of content
possible (in many cases) by anyone with access.

Some of us would think that is a good thing. I do.



Those that
dared to speak their mind "in public" should remember that their
words - en toto - are still out there and could be retrieved for some
"moot court" proceedings by Outraged "barracks lawyers" in a
newsgroup. Such is a many-edged sword waiting to be drawn by
anyone...it can cut every which way and results only in more
useless energy-expenditure by all concerned.

Anyone with some experience, practice, and observation of the
various human beans roaming the planet can do "button-
pressing" of others. Those who are pressed may escalate their
frustrations and anger into kiloton explosive rages. Those can
smoolder for years and erupt into conflagrations of righteous fire
(with brimstone) at any moment. Examples abound in this
newsgroup as well as many others.

The curiosity (to me) is the steadfast Righteousness of some in
their Beliefs, specifically in a hobby activity done (supposedly) for
individual enjoyment and general recreation. The Believers MUST
triumph their Causes or (apparently) die trying to do so. Sort of
a Masada falling/failing again and again and again. :-)

Given enough exposure over years of messaging by Believers
(and "heretics"), one gets a glimpse of the Believers' states of mind
no longer fettered by in-person facades or necessities of social or
employment-hierarchy behavior. Unafraid of direct face-to-face
confrontation (and possible physical retribution), they can Vent.
Perhaps it is a catharsis to vent. Such is difficult to do in-person
without danger of direct harm. Messaging by computer lets us
look behind the in-person behavioral mask...but only somewhat.
Their reaction to comments in opposition to them tells us more.
Adding different catalysts lets us see even more reactions. Given
time their personal dossier almost writes itself. :-)

So...I'd say we DO have a means to see inside others' thinking
(or lack of it) which is not quite possible in-person. On the other
hand, we have no body language responses nor tone of voice nor
facial expressions present on in-person encounters.

Good to see you agree. That doesn't stop an astute person from making
deductions based on what other people write.



One thing for su The common Territorial Imperative will lead many
to Claim Turf for themselves and "buddies." They "own" what goes
on and what should go on...even if they have no separate authority
to do so. They tenaciously hold fast to their Turf (especially the
Beliefs therein) since it is "theirs." :-)




- Mike KB3EIA -