Off Topic — HabitableZone

Off Topic » in reply to Different Avenues of Expression

Silence is golden.
Mary Anne — (archived)

Where's your positive thinking?

you moderators seem to overlook it until I'm ready to leave or start yelling louder than him.

I'm nobody's mom here. You have it in your own power either to ignore those who annoy you until they appear to everyone else as beasts baying at the moon, or to let them have it with arguments so cogent that they will have to respect you even if they don't agree with you.

The statements that you object to bear materially on the subject you brought up rather than on your personal character. If I say something stupid, or if someone believes I have, and they tell me I've said something stupid, I can either admit it if I agree or I can defend my remark. If someone says that I myself am stupid, or wanton, or crazy, that's an attack on character. As a moderator, I believe my job is to limit attacks on character, and to eliminate threats against a person's safety, explicit or vulgar items posted in violation of the Terms of Engagement, and commercial advertizing. I tried at first to be more proactive; the overwhelming vote was to leave well enough alone and not to take on the mantle of the Etiquette Police.

While RL can be smug and unpleasant, he has never threatened to go to your house and play the mandolin outside your door or beat you up, nor to ruin your business or your personal reputation. He thinks most of the things you say on scientific topics are not well-informed, and he says so bluntly. He's rude, and he and I have had many arguments about this, but it's like trying to train a pig to run in a steeplechase: he hasn't the legs or the interest, and I'm tired of listening to the squealing. For your part, instead of defending yourself or ignoring him when he's being boorish, or even when he's merely being present, you complain to someone to send him to his room. Your reach has extended beyond RL lately to others who speak strongly to you. The quivering lower lip doesn't work with me.

You don't help yourself when you make claims that you can't back up later. I refer to the claim you made to me about the clinical trials at many universities and by the US Army. When I asked you for details, you said there weren't any, which is honestly what I expected. Did you think I wouldn't notice? Someone else (we both know who) would have crowed. I believe I shouldn't exert myself hoisting someone else's petard when they will willingly do it for me.

How would you like me addressing YOU with those slurs?

Go ahead. See how far it gets you.

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