Re: virus: META: a rule for the list

Tadeusz Niwinski (tad@teta.ai)
Thu, 16 Oct 1997 14:38:10 -0700


David wrote:
>Maybe we just need to make up a conventional notation to communicate
>the purpose of parts of our messages. How about an opening tag which
>says what types of criticism are welcome like:
>
>blah, blah, joke, taunt, whatever
>...
><argument truth,grammar,consistency,spelling>
>Xtianity is empowering because of blah, blah
>If God does not exist then blah, blah
></argument>
>
> --.sig
>
>Here the author is inviting criticism of the argument based on truth,
>grammar, consistency and spelling, but not, say, eloquence or humor.
>I'm also assuming that the author is only inviting criticisms that
>purport to be true, consistent, etc.
>
>I have no idea if this would work in practice, but is it at least
>worth a shot? Who would participate?

An author inviting criticism? Of course the "maybe" people will do exactly
the opposite. If the author is expecting consistency, the reply will of
course be based on eloquence. How do you suggest to enforce those rules?
People on this list do what they like and it seems the more against the
intension of the author the better.

In order to follow rules, one thing has to be established first: honesty in
our communication. We assume a few things (or at least I do) and then you
find out they are violated. One of the rules I am talking about is about quotes.

Tad's rule #1:
A quote is a quote. No tampering with quotes is allowed. Period.

Of course you can use somebody's expressions and put them in your sentences,
this is not a quote, but when you indicate (with >>> or otherwise) that you
are quoting, no tampering. This seems to be obvious, but apparently not
respected by everybody.

Tad's rule #2
If you are caught tampering with quotes, you say "I am sorry" and quietly
commit harakiri. Under no circumstances you are to use opportunity to
attack other people and blame *them* for your tampering with quotes
(difficult childhood, being better than unwashed masses, your computer, etc.).

How's that for starters? (I took a day off and have 156 messages to read,
so I hope I'll find something from Pinocchio about the recent, as he called
it, "affair").

Regards, Tadeusz (Tad) Niwinski from planet TeTa
tad@teta.ai http://www.teta.ai (604) 985-4159