What's wrong/right with free speech

[Henry M]

What a stupid thing to say, you asshole! <LOL>

And if someone were dense enough to respond to a message that you sent last 
week, and suggest that you are a pervert and should be hanging out on some 
alt.sex.incest news group, what then?

I'm still trying to get the hang of being a pc, sensitive new-age guy 
(tip'o the hat to Christine Lavin's song). Do I respond to being 
called an asshole by saying how much I am hurt and that I am sorry, 
and will look deep within myself and try to be a better person? 
Or, perhaps, suffer in silence.

To me, this list is more than a scholarly forum for discussing the 
literature of TRP. It is a society, a Temporary Autonomous Zone, a 
community that has the broad knowledge and interests as well as the 
intelligence neccessary to read and analyze TRP. I'm shocked that there is 
support for "stupid" name-calling by a "boring" "asshole," let alone 
as part of a message to regulate the broad range of discussion that 
many p-listers appear to value. I think it amusing that the 
suggestion that an academic might be out of touch was critcized and 
critiqued (good) while out and out puerile name-calling has met with 
tacit approval.

On  5 Nov 96 at 16:15, Andrew Dinn wrote:

> Oh boy! Well, as a founder member of the raving asshole subsection
> and a standing member (aka prick) on the all asshole charter
> committee I have a brace of cents to donate.
> 
> I don't see any need to filter anyone right now. I don't mind
> `unbelieveably juvenile and unpleasant language', actually I usually
> quite like it - hell, if I did mind then I sure picked the wrong
> book in `Gravity's Rainbow'. I don't even mind people writing about
> everything under the sun - Pynchon gets away with it so why
> shouldn't we.
> 
> I do mind people who ought to know better wasting the time of
> everyone on the list with irrelevant crap (guilty as sin myself, I
> know, although still not in the Koopman league). But the real
> problem is identifying what is or is not crap. I'm happy to grant
> everyone the leeway that I would prefer to be granted when I post.
> I'm also happy if someone tells me I'm posting crap. I may even shut
> up as a result. But in the end it's up to me to decide what to post
> and whether it is appropriate. That may mean things get a bit out of
> hand, as recently, for which we all have to apologize and grow up a
> bit. But I would rather have censorship by self-control than have
> someone dictate what can and cannot be said.
> 
> Now, about that GRGR . . .
> 
> 
> Andrew Dinn
> -----------
> And though Earthliness forget you,
> To the stilled Earth say:  I flow.
> To the rushing water speak:  I am.

Keep Cool, but care. -- TRP
http://www.nicom.com/~gravity