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> I would be interested to hear more from our List Manager on the
>frequency with which he has to admonish people to behave. I would also
>be interested in his ideas and those of anyone else on why there is so
>much disrespectful behavior in all public forums. The advantages of a
>respectful debate would seem to be self-evident. So why do so many
>people choose the "low road."
I've been involved with MN E-Democracy since 1995. We've been doing these
lists since 1994. We knew that we'd have to keep the lists from decaying
into "flame-wars" if we wanted them to survive which is why we have the
"attack ideas, not individuals" rules/guidelines in every list and a number
of other rules and guidelines.
The personal attack email is a problem in general with emails and email
lists. In fact, the Minneapolis Issues list has been very restrained
compared to most email lists. It is a part of the traditional mainly male
culture of the original internet. There are a lot of theories as to why.
My favorite is:
* You can immediately send an email. When sending something by mail, it
usually sits there a day before it is mailed--time to think about what you
said.
* It is easy to respond to email. If you are mad about something, you can
reply immediately. A letter or memo usually takes longer to compose.
* You are doing it at a distance. People say things in email that they
would never say in person. There is a sense of anonymity (which is why we
require that posts are signed)
* Many times you don't personally know the person. The in-person
get-togethers are important to the working of these lists. People are less
likely to use inflamed language with people they have met.
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
Sheldon Mains, [EMAIL PROTECTED], Seward Neighborhood, Minneapolis
"Technology is the campfire around which we tell our stories."
--Laurie Anderson as reported in wired
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