NP Re: Is it OK to be a Luddite?

[davemarc]

From: David Morris <fqmorris at yahoo.com>
>
> What can one do with an asshole like this?

For starters, I would suggest refraining from insulting him.  If you don't
respect him, try not to engage him.  Just...let it be.
>
> Milly is like a conditioned dog who just can't resist trying to one-up or
put
> down either jbor or Malignd when ever they have the notion to post.  His
> masochism is evidenced by the obvious fact that he's not up to the task he
runs
> after.  The damage he does here continues nonetheless.

Simply put, my perception of his "conditioning" is that he tends to respond
to insults and explicit dismissals of his posts by maintaining his positions
and repeatedly advocating for them.  Perhaps the reason that this group has
become less of a Pynchon discussion and more of a pissing contest is that
among the subscribers is a set of people who take apposite positions to his
but have similar conditioning.  Hence the (thus-far) interminable insults,
sniping, and reiterations.  A small set of subscribers continues to trigger
each other like the Simpsons in that episode where instead of refraining
from giving each other electrical shocks they repeat it and repeat it until
the town has a black out.

My suggestion is that people who are pissed off at each other keep it to
themselves, at least for a while.  Please don't feel obligated to post
anything but your own strictly list-relevant contributions.  And if you've
already expressed a point dozens of times over the past year (i.e. something
about author's intent, pomo, or whatever), please give the rest of us the
benefit of the doubt and assume that there's no need to reiterate the point
for a little while at least.  And refrain from those asides that are likely
to reopen wounds.

In other words, please give the list a break and a chance to rediscover
itself.

Best,

d.