From: Greg Burch (gregburch@gregburch.net)
Date: Sat Aug 30 2003 - 17:04:10 MDT
This list has just gone through a paroxysm of anger and hurt over discussion
of current political issues. Before continuing with this thread, please ask
yourself whether this is the right forum for discussions of this sort.
There are literally thousands of places on the net to discuss contemporary
political issues. Other than those that bear DIRECTLY on the transhumanist
agenda, this isn't one of them.
I know it's hard -- I did it myself today; and I'm already very sorry that I
did. I just got back from a trip to the grocery store and the short time
away from the house gave me time to think. Nothing I write here about
current political issues is going to change the minds of anyone who posts
something that I find so problematic that I'm moved to post on it. The most
that I get from such a post is the momentary venting of partisan anger. I
have a blog where I can do that and, if anyone is interested in what I have
to say about politics, they can go there. I know there's a feeling that one
must say something, lest what one finds to be an outrageous statement go
unchallenged. But nothing is really accomplished by that -- everyone knows
there are multiple sides to the current issues, and nothing is accomplished
by making a small mark on a scoreboard to note that "here's someone on THIS
side of the issue."
I've given up on the idea of encouraging "civil dialogue" on contemporary
political issues: There will always be people who will push the rhetorical
heat up beyond what a civil discussion forum can tolerate. Draconian
policing of the list is a last resort. So let me please enter a plea to
simply leave off from discussion of the hot-button political and ideological
issues.
Greg Burch
Vice-President, Extropy Institute
My Blog: http://www.gregburch.net/burchismo.html
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