Re: Think Before Flaming

[seah@ee.rochester.edu (David Seah)]

In article <C34Ctn.FJ4@well.sf.ca.us> joko@well.sf.ca.us (Joe Kohn) writes:
>Thank you, Eric, and everyone else that has sent me words of support and
>encouragement.
>
>As I tried to say before, words can hurt. I have been called an elitist, a
>liar, and other un-mentionables in the past few days. I am furious and
>aghast because I pride myself on my honesty, integrity, and on my ethics.

The net can be a tough crowd to play.  Just about everyone who has posted
visibly on this group has been flamed into the crapper at least once (not
just in this thread).  The most effective flame quencher is to refuse to
sink down to the mudslingers, and try to turn the war towards a diplomatic
conclusion before it turns into another Serb/Croat feud.  It's hard to
flame a rational-sounding post.  People who do look like idiots.

>If people are trying to drive me from the net, all I can say is they are
>doing an awful good job of it. If they are trying to get me to wake up to
>reality and go out and get a real job, they are doing a good job of it.

That is a disapointing attitude.  Is virtue so easily bruised and driven
away by sticks and stones?  I should hope not.

>Until the other day, I thought I was above the juvenile flaming that goes on
>here. But, I am incredibly insulted, and still very upset about being called
>names, being accused of being a liar, etc etc etc.

You're not alone.  Anyone who's been active on USENET has been incredibly
insulted, slandered, misquoted, flamed, etc etc etc.  Go ahead and be upset,
but you're only one among many participating in our mutually-assured 
flamefest.  Egos burn the brightest, so let's all try to keep that at home,
OK guys?

-- 
Dave Seah (seah@ee.rochester.edu, AFCDaveS@aol.com)