Oxygenating the flame in threads was Re: [extropy-chat] a futurist prediction

[Bret Kulakovich]

Hm. I appreciate your intentions here. And I do understand the  
mechanics. Been around for a while, etc. etc.

What I was doing, imho, was exactly what you are saying. I was  
whining. Profusely. Except for the Flying Spaghetti Monster, because  
that was serious. But censorship? None. I don't even have a killfile  
myself because I view it as intellectual cowardice. Yes, that is also  
imho. Take the good with the bad.

But, but - but: The 'a futurist prediction' thread had the 'Bush is a  
(biological process, product, and/or verb)' meme inserted, and, well  
I wasn't up for another run through the long dirt remnants of that  
particular horse.

Could I have ignored it? Perhaps. I did the first eight times. Months  
ago.

Fan the flames? Doubt it. I could produce more flames pointing out  
that there are more similarities between Robbie and Mike than there  
are differences, and that I think we'd all enjoy a beer together, if  
it weren't for the taxation and the price of oiiiillllllll. /segue,  
duck under chair, etc.

Anyway. I'll go back to watching threads go by then. Haven't seen  
shunning work since the BBS days though.

Thanks for the chat.


Bret Kulakovich


On Aug 24, 2005, at 9:04 PM, Brett Paatsch wrote:

>> Here's a 'prediction': One of us replies, others of us  
>> contradict,  Iraq, idiot, killfile; lather, rinse, repeat. It's  
>> threadjacking run  amok.
>>
>
> You are an active agent in keeping that process going. You choose
> which threads you want to inflame with the oxygen of your attention  
> to them.  Thats part of the dynamics of a list.
> You don't have to reply to any post or to any poster its entirely
> optional. You can keep a database of posts and posters if you
> want and reply only to those you want to reply to.
> You can give a person a warning that they are going beyond what
> you find acceptable to you, either in rudeness or in level of noise
> and if they don't heed the warning you can ignore them. But if you
> step in to shut them up, you oxygenate their flame.
> Shunning was a very effective form of feedback in tribal villages
> as I understand. Violence and censorship wasn't necessary, the
> simple withdrawal of attention was enough.
> Heck even the metaphor of Heaven has gates on it.
>
>> There are wonderful things going on out there, and things that  
>> are  going to move us forward. While all the energy goes in, the  
>> thread  bleeds into neighboring discussions, and good news is  
>> deadended. It's  like yelling down a hole sometime.
>>
>
> Re the hole, I can imagine, but I'll have to take you word for it.  
> Re the out there. Sure.
>
>> I mean hey, ignore my post. The Flying Spaghetti Monster heard my   
>> plea no doubt =)
>>
>
> Your post provides an opportunity to comment on a means for  
> improving list quality without censorship. If someone is  
> excessively and
> constistently rude or boring just ignore them. Warn them if you  
> like and
> if they don't heed you, just stop talking to them.
> Perhaps spend *your* time like its *yours* to spend and a resource of
> value, and the rest can take care if itself.
> You find the content boring but the people potentially worth  
> talking to
> post another thread and see if the marketplace picks it up.
> Brett
>
>
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