the lost point

[mark lawton]

hi chris
i don't really want to get into a you said-he said-we said loop but i'm afraid i must respond once more

first of all could you show me when any of the discussions inspired more than a handful of respondents/participants

Number of postings to <ambit> during October (to date) = 107
Number of postings to <ambit> during September = 30

this misses the point i was responding to - i meant more than the 'tiny minority' you wrote of, not the actual number of postings although surely the large number of postings hints at healthiness not at problematic

are you really saying that those who have clearly defined opinions should temper the expression of them so as not to upset the fragile or un(in)formed opinions of others ?

No, I think that's what you're saying. Whose opinions do you think are ill-or un(in)formed? Just because an opinion is strongly held does not necessarily imply that it is well-informed or representative.

eh?! - never mentioned ill-informed and nor have i ever claim to be representative; these are my thoughts on the matter which it appears are shared by some other people

and, before gair brought this matter to the attention of the group we were all uninformed were we not

seems to me that what you're saying has the whiff of censorship about it, and the most damaging form of all, that of self-censorship

totally outrageous

It seems to me this is paranoia on your part. This list is no more censored than a meeting in a pub. Unfortunately when opinions in a meeting become polarised and discussion heated, it discourages others from talking.

again i never said that you practised such but i took your original point to mean that strong opinions were somehow intimidating others not to express themselves and so i and others should tone it down a bit - which ultimately would amount to self-censorship would it not ?

I'm sure you believe you are right in your opinions. I happen to disagree with some of your opinions and the way you are expressing them. For you to complain of censorship is ridiculous.

that you disagree with my views is fine, though you have yet to express this openly, but the way i am expressing my views is by writing to a discussion list/group in the hope of inspiring dialogue - what other way do you suggest i should do it ?

as i wrote to torsten previously... ' i really hope more have more to say - yea or nae' - by which i meant via dialogue and debate, a lamentably neglected art

peace

mark

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