Reflections from the list manager: ----------------------------------
I love political satire and I'm a big fan of the Brave New Workshop, where "promiscuous hostility, positive neutrality" is their motto (I took classes with them for a while).
At the same time, I consider myself the host of a sizable public policy forum which strives to create a somewhat non-partisan atmosphere where folks of very different political persuasions can discuss issues that are sometimes very partisan by their nature.
I've been "playfully" harassed by colleagues, when I tell them that E-Democracy discourages "humor & sarcasm" in our forums. But, humor is a tricky thing. Jokes that are very funny when told to one audience in one setting, can have the opposite effect elsewhere. The email format only amplifies the difficulties that many people have in "translating" humor.
We discourage humor and sarcasm, not because we don't like them, or because we are boring and humorless people (although, I'm sure that some of you imagine that about me). BUT, we discourage them because of the potential impact that they can have on a forum, which is managed for very different purposes.
Sometimes, humor can work well in our forum - we have some very funny participants (take that however you choose). At the Brave New Workshop, they are able to entertain politically diverse audiences with pointed political humor, by pointing their sarcasm and jokes in every direction - even at themselves.
However, partisan humor by partisan actors directed exclusively at their political opponents, can have the opposite effect. It might please ones political allies, while very likely offending the "other side." This makes sense at a political convention, but MIGHT not make sense at an open public forum - where a great deal of effort has been made to make folks with diverse points of view feel welcome.
Anyway, I just happened (for no particular reason) to be pondering these very DEEP thoughts and thought I would throw them out to the group, for no particular reason!
;-)
Best wishes,
-- ================================================= Tim Erickson http://www.politalk.com St. Paul, MN - USA 651-643-0722 [EMAIL PROTECTED] iChat/AIM: stpaultim =================================================
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