X-Message-Number: 1469
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 15:57:07 EST
From:  (Perry E. Metzger)
Subject: Cryonics: Being Polite

I want to say to all on the Cryonet list that although there has been
a bit of progress, lots of people are still failing to follow proper
Netiquette. I suppose that this has become my personal crusade,
because I'm not going to let up on it.

In particular, I still see virtually all of my "rules of good
behavior" being ignored by a large segment of people.

To recap...

Electronic mail is a detached medium. Its very easy to call people
lots of names in E-Mail, because you aren't in the same room as the
people involved and thus don't have to deal with their reactions.
Thus, its possible to engage in heated and very nasty discussions.
Don't fall prey to this.

In a mailblast in the last 24 hours, someone opened an article
approximately like this.

"Joe Blow is a jerk who applies double standards."

Now, I'm not going to quote the exact line, because I don't want to
single anyone out, and I've slightly altered the line to suit my
pedagogical purpose. (For instance, the original used other
inflamitory language instead of saying "jerk").  If you were the
person who posted a line like that, please don't take what follows
personally.

Whats wrong with this line?

1) Its inflamitory.
2) Its ad hominem. It doesn't matter who is making a comment, whether
   Ayn Rand, Mother Theresa or Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler could say
   that 2+2 = 4 and even though he was a really evil person the
   statement would still be true. The personality, tendancies, shoe
   size, sexual proclivities, and even rudeness, of another person is
   NOT a valid argument for or against their ideas. If you think
   someone's ideas are wrong, attack their ideas.
3) Its insulting. Few people would go up to someone and say "You are a
   jerk who applies double standards". Most people know better than
   this because occassionally you get slapped for doing things like
   that. Unfortunately, few people seem to realize that its just as
   big a blow to the other person's ego when transmitted by e-mail. If
   you wouldn't say something to a person face to face, don't say it
   email. Even if you WOULD say something face to face, be careful
   before putting it in email. It doesn't matter if the other person
   is the antichrist -- insulting them will only lead to further
   insults and bickering instead of good discussion. If you feel that
   it is your purpose to cause others emotional torment and get them
   to try to do the same to you, then I suggest that you use another
   forum, because the people here do wish to communicate.

Just my thought for the day,

Perry Metzger

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