Water Cooler

Trying to stick to issues and avoiding personal abuse is always welcome...

81.156.230.139

In Reply to: RE: Absolutely posted by Redwing on June 29, 2008 at 08:30:14

Re what may genuinely constitute personal abuse, there certainly appear to be different interpretations of what might justify such a description...

Some folk appear to respond with outrage when their opinion has been questioned as though their personal worth had been challenged...

At least one frequent correspondent evidently regards ANY challenge to his opinion as "personal abuse", irrespective of any absence of foul language and that reasons justifying such criticism may be freely given... :o)

I hope that you and any other opposing parties who may feel similarly "abrasive and confrontational" would never regard provocative comment from the other as being sufficiently disrespectful as to effectively constitute "personal abuse"... :o)

I suggest that having strong views may certainly be of benefit when there is a genuine intent to discuss issues, rather than to essentially bypass any effective discussion by simply trying to shout opposing opinion down...

I rather regard the "Outside" forum as a natural home for those who are so convinced that they know all of the important answers that they would never need to question or validate their views, and simply seek an environment where inflexible (aka bigoted) folk of opposing opinions can indulge in self-righteous shouting-matches with each other, with genuine discussion being the farthest thought from their minds...

On a personal basis I naturally regard such juvenile schoolyard bullying exchanges as having minimal relevance to actual reasoned "discussion" in any society, and as particularly poor adverts for the cultural values indicated as existing within a functional democracy...

Which is why I (and others?) hope for better from correspondence (and correspondents!) on this forum...

Bill.

Follow Ups:

I agree with your premise - Redwing 12:55:36 06/29/08 (1)
- I certainly wish to be scrupulously fair.... - feet's too big 14:03:42 06/29/08 (0)

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