Re: the light bulb police are coming

[Marc_F_Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 16 Mar 2007 09:56:49 -0500, dharper@xxxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Harper) wrote
in message  <eteb7h$s89@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>In article <QbKdnbSfGpt0P2fYnZ2dnUVZ_revnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
>Robert L Bass <sales@bassburglaralarms> wrote:
>>>> This is profoundly pertinent to comp.home.automation?
>>>
>>> Is sniping profoundly pertinent to comp.home automation?
>>
>>Marc does the newsgroup a service by pointing out
>>deliberate misrepresentations on the part of this poster.
>
> My point is that there will always be diasgreements but they can be
>handled in a much more civil manner than allowing postings to degenerate
>into personal attacks on individuals.  I see what I feel is a disturbing
>trend; many people seem quite willing to say something in a post that
>they would be reluctant to say face to face.  It's seems similar to the
>way that climbing behind the wheel of a car seems to bring out the worst
>in some people.  Regardless of whether we sign our postings with our name
>or not, newsgroups bring a level of anonymity since most posters likely
>have not, and never will, meet each other.  That is hardly
>justification to suspend politeness and respect for the views of others,
>whether you happen to agree with them or not.
>
>Dave Harper

Dave,  Thank you for you helpful comments.

My home is often open to the public, and y'all are welcome to my living
room to hear me say this in person.

Although I dislike the "sniping" metaphor, because it has been already
introduced in this thread, let me use it by stating that the intention is
to shoot bad ideas humanely through the head, and not the messenger
through the heart.

Some folks in this newsgroup have apparently declared open season on
public servants, elected officials, scientists, academicians, researchers,
and environmental activists. (I wear or have worn all of those hats.) In
my opinion and experience, they do it in a way that is not only cowardly
but "unuseful" because they make false statements for their own
self-gratification knowing that they are protected from real
repercussions.

And hypocritically, some (not you, Dave) decry the newsgroup demeanor
while cavalierly smearing whole segments of society that have invested
their lives to address real problem that they now dabble with and babble
about. (My opinion, but firmly held.) Under erstwhile circumstances, these
folks would have been inconsequential. Unfortunately the internet gives
these folks an audience that they didn't have previously.

Trying to change the _behavior_ of such folks is usually a fool's errand
in my experience. The best that can be hoped for in most cases is to shoot
the bad _idea_ down cleanly.

I Hope This Helps ... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org