Treading a fine line
Leslie Miller
miller at pp.okstate.edu
Wed Mar 1 09:03:11 PST 1995
Pug, I just want to commend you for treading a very difficult and
fine line lately. I think you've done a good job given the
circumstances, but then, I haven't been flamed by anyone (yet), and I
find the idea of censorship pretty abhorent. My guessis that you've
got a pretty thankless job, and I just wanted you to know that at
least one person appreciates what you have (and haven't) done.
I'd also like to put in my 2 cents' worth on the flaming/courtesy
issue. It has always been disconcerting to me that it is so much
easier to "express one's true feelings" over e-mail. Maybe it
has to do with the fact that you're not saying the words to the
individual face-to-face, and therefore it is easy to distance
yourself from their reaction. I myselfhave fallen into this trap.
When you're not dealing with an immediate emotional reaction,
it's easy to call somebody a dumb-ass or rake them over the
coals, and then go your merry way, leaving your victim to suffer in
silence, or wait for their reply which is easily dissected by those
comfortable with the language and their skills at manipulating
it. It's all very neat and simple and clean and distant. Words on a
screen.
It's easy to forget that there's a living, breathing, thinking,
emotional idividual on the other end who may be hurt or upset by our
words. And that forgetfulness... or even the blatant disregard for
it... is, to my mind, inexcusable. Common courtesy for our fellow
human beings is something which we should practice *all* the time,
irregardless of whether we are on the net, on the phone, at an SCA
event or not. It is simply a "good" thing, which is, afterall, why
it is such an important aspect of "The Dream". Anybody who thinks
it's OK to be viscious over e-mail, but strves to be courteous at an
SCA event is, IMHO, at best, a hypocrite.
Gunhilda
Shire of Mooneschadowe
Stillwater, OK
Leslie Miller
Environmental Health and Safety
(405) 744-7241
miller at pp.okstate.edu
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"Not what the stars have done, but what they are to do, is what
detains the sky." - Emily Dickinson
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