I've got a really brilliant idea

[jpgray]

Let's pretend that strong disagreements, harsh denunciations, and vitriolic criticisms are exactly what they appear to be. Let's pretend they are not always sneaky and implicit attempts to censor the opposing side, but are instead evidence of actual discussion.

In an ideal world, we'd all be gracious, earnest and forgiving in our disagreements. We'd never falsely characterize the opposing argument, or leave out its trickier aspects that pose problems for refutation. We'd never pretend to certainty when discussing a complex issue, never paint one camp or the other as the most malevolent evil or the purest good. We'd approach each disagreement with a spirit of polite magnanimity, recognizing that moderation isn't always complacence, acknowledging all sides of an issue isn't always impotence, and thinking of the future before acting isn't always cowardice.

Since we don't live in that ideal world, I submit that any and all arguments that don't explicitly call for censorship of the other side should be taken at face value--as disagreement, rather than covert attempts to censor. I don't care how strong the language, how heavy the sarcasm, or how dismissive and mistrustful the treatment of the opposing side is.

If you read an opposing opinion as censorship of your own without any explicit cause to do so, if you feel your own opinion's existence is fatally threatened by strong words of disagreement, you need to grow the fuck up.

[mmonk]

1. I disagree. You must be silenced.

;)

[jpgray]

7. Weird. When the call for censorship is explicit and succinct

It doesn't sound so bad. :P

[JeffR]

2. I'm in.

:thumbsup:

[EstimatedProphet]

3. ...Nah.

:)

[patrice]

4. Yes!

Personal insults ALWAYS do a case harm, because they show that anger and pain are more important than whatever truth "you" think you bring to the situation. It might even be that "you" don't ACTUALLY believe or care about your "truth" and that you only use it to engage in conflict, which is what you REALLY love more than anything else.

[jpgray]

5. The problem with a polite, respectful thread is that very few people reply

If you're vain and lust after replies and top o' the page status (and who doesn't), insults and flamewars are the fuel to propel your threads up there. I'm pretty sure there's an equivalency out there between "too snarky" edits and "not provocative enough" edits.

[patrice]

6. Ha! ha! Great way to start the day; tell me I'm boring! : - ))))

's okay. I already knew.

Maybe I should change my screen name and make things more interesting around here.

:hi:

[jpgray]

8. It's why this thread won't get many replies

So once in a while I practice a bit of necromancy. :P