Eugene Leitl wrote:
>
> On Fri, 21 Sep 2001, Michael M. Butler wrote:
>
> > I consciously adopt the language of my audience. At the end of a
> > recent post, I mentioned God even though I'm an agnostic. Was the rest
> > of the content valuable, or rendered valueless?
>
> The latter.
Well, so you say. Thanks. I must take you literally here--you mean to
say that you read the piece and decided the final phrase abnegated the other
content. Too bad; I thought you might have more of a sense of proportion.
It's me, Michael Butler, here, 'gene. Don't we know each other, a little,
after all this time on the list?
> To cite a recent case, a superficially reasonable email on
> post-WTC policy sailed into my inbox a few days ago. It made sense right
> unto the final sentence, which read "God bless America". Now, I don't
> trust people basically driven by inscrutable motivations. One might
> support points of policy, warily so, but certainly not the person pushing
> it. Sooner or later, the dissonance must surface.
>
> He might be playing for his audience, but can you afford the benefit of
> doubt in such cases?
I can at least remember to ask the question every time I *don't*
get a boatload of other troublesome signals. YMMV.
I do not consider the expression "God bless America" inscrutable.
People who use it _are_ deserving of close inspection. Some are OK.
It is a trope. There is a limit on everyone's attention. Choose wisely.
The trick is to make no unnecessary enemies. If it is a foregone
conclusion that anyone who believes in a supreme being is an enemy,
you have made 80% of the world your enemy. I repeat, choose wisely.
The key, it seems to me, is to come to know one's speakers.
That takes the establishment of a relationship, over time.
MMB
PS: Further ex.: One can twist my current .sig into an excuse for atrocity.
Tough. If I catch you doing that, I will punish you--whoever you are.
-- Job One: MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL. If you're not part of the solution,what are you doing scumming up the bottom of our beaker? --MMB 02001.09.21
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