Judy, this response held everything and more of what Barry was asking and was not asking in his post this morning. I especially appreciated your explanation and description of why and how viewpoints can be spiritual here although they may not be talking about anything other than war or movies or commenting on the post of another. There is no limit to how intelligence can be expressed and we have a wonderful collage of personalities who are able to see and, in turn, portray the individuality and depth of their experience of the world to the rest of us.
It is, of course, predictable that Barry cites the posters who mostly agree with him as those he finds worthy to read. This is an old story and more a sign of him as a person than a valid certification of the worthwhileness of these peoples' posts (not to say that the "worthwhile" posts by those he deems readable aren't, indeed readable). And we have all lamented the fact that Salyavin has left for the moment, no one here has blasted him for it. I certainly appealed for him to come back. So, as usual, Barry is making this up to create more dissension and ill will. Why would he do that? (Rhetorical question.) This week in particular has been a great example of people actually spontaneously interacting more like they might do in real life in a room where conversation follows a flow with one viewpoint or interjection after another. It has a more natural and friendly flow to it than when there were posting limits. I think Barry wants to pontificate and he likes this sort of gag order emerging once certain people hit a particular post count. He waits and plans for this. He loves the soapbox and would prefer it if no one else could speak unless it was to support and stroke him. Otherwise, the rest of us should shut up because he has far more important things to say and we better listen while he misleads and abuses and makes it very, very clear (in his mind) why we are all lacking in one way or another as humans and as creative people. Barry might take small breaks but he'll never leave, not for the immediate future. For as much as he dislikes most of the people here and claims superficiality on our parts he needs a dogs body to kick and yank around. He also needs to leap onto his battered old soapbox often enough to make himself feel important.
