From: Erin (macavity11@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Nov 06 2005 - 13:52:41 GMT
--- david buchanan < > wrote:
> Howdy MOQers:
>
> Rebecca said:
> For me, it's how one reacts to the challenge that's
> important. If you read
> something and think 'wow, I'd like to throttle that
> guy' you'd better step
> back and ask yourself _why_? (apparently my
> favourite question). Is he just
> being an asshole that I should ignore (or perhaps
> make a subtle jab at), or
> are my beliefs being sincerely challenged and that's
> what I dislike? Once I
> calm down the answer usually comes, and it's usually
> the latter.
>
> dmb says:
> I'm definately with Rebecca here. As you may have
> noticed, I almost always
> respond to posts with with disagreement. Its not
> that I almost always
> disagree with everything written here of course. But
> that's what I choose to
> respond to. I think its much more fun and I learn a
> lot more that way. I
> even flatter myself by believeing that I almost
> alway choose to go after the
> greatest challenge. I like to think I'm going after
> the best of enemies.
> Naturally, I shudder at the idea of being forced to
> be sweet and agreeable.
> What a bloodless snooze-fest that would be. Fake and
> boring.
>
> I hope I know the difference between a real
> challenge and mere insult in
> what I read and write. I've probably crossed the
> line a few too many times
> and I don't feel good about that, but I like it up
> near that line. That's
> where the passion is. See, I don't thinking "care"
> necessarily means being
> polite or agreeable. I think Rebecca has a great
> point. A sincere challenge
> to one's beliefs can be very painful. It feels like
> an attack even if its
> not personal per se. But lifting weights is painful
> too. Growth doesn't
> occur within our comfort zone, you know?
>
> Sorry Ian, but I think we need heat too.
>
> I could politley say that Matt's post in this thread
> was a bit too long and
> nicely ask that he think about the value of brevity
> in this clogged forum.
> But its more fun to simply say, "Jeez, what a wind
> bag!". It makes the same
> point in way that he could hardly fail to notice, in
> a way that will get his
> goat, if you will. I think this is a genuine
> criticism even if I'm sassy
> about it. And who knows? Maybe next time he'll
> tighten up. More likely he'd
> write a long essay on the history of essays and the
> virtues of being a wind
> bag, but that's a response too. And if Matt had no
> doubts about the length
> of that piece then such a criticism wouldn't bother
> him. But if the phrase
> "wind bag" shoots through his heart like a burning
> arrow, well then you can
> bet your last buck that he has some doubts abou that
> post. And then, by
> extension, doubts about his ability as a writer and
> thinker will follow.
> Then, of course, the worthiness of entire being will
> come into question.
> Then they'll find the suicide note saying simply,
> "Sorry I was such a
> windbag. Love, Matt." Sigh. If I'd been nicer, Matt
> would still be alive
> today. Instead, he's been permanently
> recontextualized into a grave yard
> vocabulary. Guess I crossed the line that time, huh?
>
> Jeez, I'm such an asshole.
>
> dmb
Hey I can actually agree with you about
something...guess which sentence!
Style (or often in your case lack there of) definitely
does matter.
Erin
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