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<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">></span>How can you possibly think this is a reasonable characterization of
what spike so politely asked for? Can you really not distinguish
between respect for long-time list members who have contributed
mightily and "mutual sycophancy or hero-worship"? </div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br>
</span></div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I suppose it depends what you mean by respect. As Damien has already pointed out, I myself have shown respect to those with whom I have been holding discussions; as such I believe I have stuck to the rules governing these things. But I reacted defensively, perhaps, in being urged to show 'caution'. Why that word? Why not urge us newbies to use mutual respect or politeness? Caution suggested something with a harder line. I wondered if 'respect' really boiled down to the kind of obsequiousness one shows towards a bully - that is, to someone by whom one feels threatened or intimidated. Again, in being reminded of the 'mighty contributions' by these fellows, I was put in mind of my own inferior status - being but newly born into this particular realm of cyberspace, I have yet to show my full worth, leaving me, relatively speaking, in a lowly position whereby I owed my elders not just respect (which, as I pointed out in my post, is a <i>mutual</i> thing) but something more. In an open list such as this one, any contribution has value, no matter where it might spring from. Damien in his response to me indicated as much.</span></div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br>
</span></div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I don't believe I responded to Spike's post as though it was anything but polite - I was merely stating what I saw as a robust defence made on the basis of my interpretation. If that interpretation was misconstrued, I apologise. Yet there have been instances of rudeness on the part of those who hold these elevated positions on this list, so a call for respect goes both ways. I repeat: if this is not an open forum for debate, regardless of personalities, qualifications or anything else germane to these pursuits, I am in the wrong place.</span></div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br>
</span></div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Let me also reiterate a fact that none of us, surely, can debate: that we are all here because we hold similar beliefs about the future of mankind. Does it need repeating that the goal of reaching that future is far more important than any of these really rather piffling issues?</span></div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br>
</span></div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Best,</span></div>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3d3075b1-28d8-445e-938e-bad7edec133c" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Damian U.<br>
</span> <br>
<br>
------------------------------------- <br>
Max More, Ph.D. <br>
Strategic Philosopher <br>
The Proactionary Project <br>
Extropy Institute Founder <br>
<a href="http://www.maxmore.com" target="_blank">www.maxmore.com</a> <br>
<a href="mailto:max@maxmore.com">max@maxmore.com</a> <br>
------------------------------------- <br>
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