Posted by Jost on November 1, 2006, at 23:02:04
In reply to Re: what's right vs what's wrong » Jost, posted by Dinah on October 31, 2006, at 13:12:35
I agree with the principal, but it's often a struggle to be open-minded when some issues are at stake. I certainly can see that.
I'm not sure why, but seeing people negatively because they disagree seems awfully widespread. It's not a good thing,but for me it's mitigated by knowing people rather than seeing them as instances of a political viewpoint.
On the two message boards where I've been active (they were overlapping, special interest ones--) my political views were distinctly minority-- I'd say there was one person who was a middle-of-the-road, centrist guy, but everyone else was on the far other edge. Since I'm on the fairly far edge of my end== it was frustrating, and sometimes unsettling.
Sometimes almost amusing, but mostly interesting. It got very heated in 2004 there too--. And I made my arguments. I do think it raised eyebrows, and possibly caused some temporary dislike-- but there were pecularities there about what side of other internecine disputes I "really" was on-- it was a little crazy actually. The idea that I was a 'spy" for the "other side" (ie the rival message board-- it was very hard to be active on both-- but that was more a question of personal politics) was more of a problem-- but the politics probably didn't help--
People got over it. somehow. And I got over it-- too. Which I kind of liked. I guess they tolerated my folly-- or New Yorkicity-- or eccentricity.
But I do still think that politics are so much about what you don't want or want to change.
I respect Bob's decisions on the politics board, and certainly wouldn't want it to cause hurt feelings or estrangment or feelings of not belonging. Which it obviously can-- I don't know-- I think it's that I just feel the practical concerns about losing valuable people and also some concern about hurting vulnerable people or those who like a good argument. It's probably good for me-- since I'm a firebrand of the revolution personally-- and I'd probably get carried away as soon as anyone.
I do feel confused about where the line is at times-- ie how stringently it needs to be observed.
Jost
poster:Jost
thread:698908
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20061018/msgs/699704.html