CalAmp ) writes:
On Sat 03 Sep 2005 05:58:07p, Telamon
wrote in message
:

The signal to noise level has been very high the past few weeks but
hopefully it will settle down now that we are almost in the back to
school season.



The hypocracy of Telemon, as displayed here, is a bit humorous! He just
participated in said "noise" in another thread. Any standing he may have had
in criticizing anyone else for off-topic posting was surrendered at that
point (not to mention numerous other points as well).

I've not been following because I do tune out the junk posts.

But it can sometimes be very hard to not respond when people routinely
post off topic junk. Because the off-topic becomes the norm, so you
post without thinking.

As so often is the case after some big event, the newsgroups are loaded with
off-topic discussion of the hurricane. I've caught myself a number of times
as I'm about to post a reply, and then realize that no matter how much I'd
like to discuss some of it, I will not reply where it doesn't belong.

I've seen mobs in operation, and it takes a certain awareness and even
willpower to step back and not be a participant. The first time I noticed
it happening, I was all set to run with a bunch of other people, and
realized just as I started what was happening. The next time it happened,
I was fully aware, so didn't move one bit. But oddly, it was a really
weird position to be in, and I very clearly saw why it was easier to follow
the mob than to not be a part of it.

SOme of what is happening here is a mob mentality. Something has
become so common that it's difficult to stand back and not get sucked
into it.

The only way to fix it is to speak up (since just standing there while
the mob moves on in a newsgroup doesn't show you still there but not
posting), in the hopes that it will trigger others to realize what is
going on, and to resist too. And yes, once enough get rid of the mob
mentality, it will be easier to get rid of the junk posts.

Michael