--- Nick Arnett wrote: <big snip> > Neither of you is the other one's mommy or daddy, > I'll remind you, at the > risk of stating the obvious. We'll all be happier > if you'll quit making > demands on each other. If you have criticism, offer > it and let it go. > > David Brin is a big believer in the power of > criticism, but he's not much > for *demanding* that others change. Transparency > and accountability have to > do with responsibility and community, not blame and > behavior modification. > > Nick I'm currently reading Brin's _The Transparent Society_ and came across these timely words (pg 166 & 169):
"Today's Internet is plagued by countless individuals who seem intent on making nuisances of themselves, flying into abusive, self-righteous tirades known as "flames." Electronic conversations seem especially prone to misinterpretation, suddenly and rapidly escalating hostility between participants, or else triggering episodes of sulking silence. When flame wars erupt, normally docile people can behave like mental patients suffering from coprolalia, a version of Tourette's syndrome. Typing furiously, they send impulsive text messages blurting out the first vituperation that comes to mind, abandoning the editing process of common courtesy that civilization took millenia to aquire. (Hence the fad expression "Net-Tourette.")... ..."People who sling mud will learn that they must either back up their accusations or else face ignominy. Like the proverbial boy who cried wolf, they will find themselves isolated. Ignored...In fact, civility just might make a comeback, after all. But not as something exhorted, or enforced from on high. Rather, it may return as a natural byproduct as we all learn to live in this new "commons," a near-future society where wrath seldom becomes habitual, because people who lash out soon learn that it simply does not pay." He also mentions his fictitious courtesy-worm program 'EmilyPost,' from the novel _Earth_ (which I thought a somewhat fractured but compelling work)... Debbi who thinks that tolerance and courtesy (civility, if you prefer) are *not* incompatible __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Autos - Get free new car price quotes http://autos.yahoo.com
