[ExI] Moderation on the ExiCh list

[Will Steinberg]

An easy enough rule to remember: if it seems (and this really is pretty easy
to ascertain) like others on the list will respond to your message with
intelligent interest in the direction of a progressive conversation--which
would be a conversation where it can be seen that, as the talking continues,
the understanding of the topic rises and so do the complexities of the ideas
within.

for example:

If I hypothesize on race relations and imagine a thought experiment that
would be considered highly immoral or illegal, the topic can still progress
towards real intelligent results.  Many, many thought experiments include
scenarios where someone is killed to illustrate consciousness, decision, and
the like.  People here are on the level to understand that these do not
suggest the writer is in favor of murder; they should be able to judge when
something is hypothesis and when something is personal opinion.

but if your message will produce a hovering, worthless conversation--an
argument, an intelligentsian circle-jerk, et cetera--you should probably not
post it.

On Sat, Dec 5, 2009 at 2:07 PM, Lee Corbin <lcorbin at rawbw.com> wrote:

> Damien Broderick wrote:
>
>  Lee Corbin wrote:
>>
>>  Why does it just kill you
>>> to hear someone say something totally outrageous once in a while??
>>>
>>
>> There might be a clue in that word "outrageous" and more exactly the
>> "rage" part, since outrage can enrage, and bringing rage down upon one's
>> head is not a great idea.
>>
>
> Why so afraid?  Surely no lawsuits. Calumny?  Guilt by association? (Yes,
> that latter is it, I guess.)
>
>
>  Yes, the difficulty is that some people are all too easily
>>
> > enraged and eager to lose control, so arguably they are
>
>> the ones who need (self)moderation.
>>
>
> Yes, quite.  Now the "being enraged" part I understand.
>
> The part I don't get is the tyrannical temperament of
> needing to denounce (usually secretly) to the authorities
> that power be used to turn off these "abhorrent" ideas.
> I myself have just *never* had the urge to contact the
> moderators offlist and demand the suppression of this or that.
>
>
>  But to rehearse the obvious, this list is not a public
>>
> > square, yet anything posted here can be read by anyone
> > on the planet now or in the future. Since the list owners and
>
>> most other transhumanists don't wish to be associated with outrageous
>> proposals...
>>
>
> How can the vast multitudes out there not see that what
> is said here is *never* official policy? "To be associated"??
> I really would think that---ESPECIALLY FROM THE CONDEMNATIONS
> FROM THE OTHERS ON THE LIST---that everyone perusing the list
> could see what is going on: Some people believe things not
> widely believed by others.
>
> Do you really want to be afraid because it may become known
> that someone you may know is a Communist? Do we want to give
> into fear of things like that?
>
> "Oh my God. Damien B. once posted on the *same* list where
> someone once said terrible things!"
>
> "Oh my God. I started a list, and someone (a single lone
> voice) had the temerity to say that it would be a good
> thing for China to sink beneath the waves, and even though
> this was clearly not a popular view on my list, still
> someone somewhere will do me or my movement great harm..."
>
>
>  to (say) nuke or poison all the Muslims in the world or even in a given
>> country, or to forcibly banish blacks and other "non-white" people "back to
>> their own countries", it is very reasonable to step in and remove or block
>> posts making such suggestions--even as thought experiments. If only on the
>> same grounds that one is well advised not to make bomb jokes while boarding
>> a plane.
>>
>
> One cannot make bomb-jokes while boarding a plane because
> of the hysterical temperament resulting from 9/11. So you
> think it follows that we here must imitate such mindless
> idiocy?
>
> If a lone poster says that all Muslims should be slowly
> lowered down into vats of hot Caro's acid, starting with
> the toes, and a half-dozen people jump on him and say
> he's wrong & he's crazy... what exactly are you afraid
> of will happen? That a fatwa against *all* Extropians
> will be announced?
>
> Lee
>
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>
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