Re: Style

[John Mallinckrodt <ajmallinckro@CSUPomona.Edu>]

On Fri, 12 Sep 1997, Richard W. Tarara wrote:

> While a certain amount of sniping is inevitable on this kind of list, there
> exists a danger (I would say already a reality) that excessive sniping and
> especially ridicule will tend to drive away the "thinner-skinned" and "less
> knowledgeable" amongst us to the point that the list will become (as I
> think it has) a debating platform for a very few College/University types. 
> I worry that many, especially many High School teachers, have been
> intimidated into silence.   My advice then, is to try to keep the personal
> criticism and derogatory remarks to a minimum.  ;-) 

Notwithstanding my own culpability in the current thread, I agree with
Rick.  I don't like sniping and I don't think it often serves desirable
ends.  Even more so, I'd hate to see it silence anyone with sincere
interest in the answers to questions of relevance to this list out of fear
of humiliation.  I think the general policy should be one of (and I'd like
to think that I have) infinite tolerance for questions or objections that
are sincerely posed and that are based on at least a good faith effort to
read and understand the discussion that precedes it.  Even then we all
make occasional mistakes and the air is best cleared by simply owning up
to them--a practice which only serves to further the atmosphere of
informality, collegiality, and (dare I say) humility that I think we all
would prefer. 

John
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