Humble Barbara & Serious Discourse

[Terrance]

barbara100 at jps.net wrote:

"I'd rather be humble than be a hypocrite, so my apologies, Terrance."

Humble? And what exactly are you  apologizing for? 
For calling me  a fascist or because you're sorry you called me a
fascist because you should have called me a ranting misogynistic
fascist? 

 
We can't have a discussion if you can't engage without insults, flames,
and gasoline rhetoric. Flames and gasoline are now the dominant mode of
discourse on this list.


I am concerned by this trend.  My simple requests for evidence, facts,
passages from Pynchon texts, is an attempt to reverse this trend. 

Also, alternative news and the like, is not the same as textual evidence
from a Pynchon text.  Surely there are passages from Pynchon texts to
support some of what you and Doug are asserting.  I've asked for such, 
as I think it would be a good way to
see concretely what you and Doug are talking about. 

Also, suggesting that we might want to read GR where Pynchon critiques
capitalism and rails against big oil companies is not quite the same as
providing textual support. 

We subscribe here for any number of reasons and clear discourse is one
of them.  

I'm simply asking for some textual evidence.  


I have problems with the "Anyone who has read Pynchon can't fail to
see...and must therefore be a fascist...and shouldn't be on this
list..." rhetoric. First of all, it's condescending: the suggestion is
that the person addressed has either not read Pynchon or has failed to
read the "truth that is obviously stated in his texts."   Second, it
discourages pluralistic participation. Third, its ad hominem. Fourth, it
encourages more of the same.   Fifth, it shifts discussion away from the
texts we are here to discuss.  Sixth, it discourages interlocutors from
engaging in what might prove to  be constructive dialogue. Seventh, it
discredits this list by  forcing more serious posters to the lurking
sidelines and shocking new members. Eighth, time spent defending
ourselves is time we could be spend reading  the Pynchon texts and post
our questions, insights, thoughts, questions.