From: utzoo!utcsrgv!utcsstat!wagner
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Title: Re: not a joke; a flame - (nf)
Article-I.D.: utcsstat.166
Posted: Tue Jun  8 15:16:44 1982
Received: Tue Jun  8 15:44:55 1982
References: pyuxcc.222

I think once was more than enough!  Jokes gain economy
(as suggested elsewhere in the net) by relying on cultural
stereotypes.  I think mostof us have enough sense to recognize
when that cultural stereotype is essentially harmless, and when
it is mean-minded.  Lets stop the sharp-line definitions of
harmless/harmful humour, and save all the flaming for when
a problem really crops up.  Then, I suspect, the most 
effective policy will be sending the person (not the net)
a comment saying you didnt appreciate the joke.  When you
go to a party, do you set out rules ahead of time for what
jokes will be admissable, or do you gently suggest to the
person who is turning racist/sexist/___ist in his drunken
stupor that it is time for him to calm down?  Peer pressure
works in other groups and surroundings.

Was just thinking about that.  Peer pressure is useless on
CB, if you have ever tried to use that medium.  I think the
difference is the average intelligence of the participants.
Can we rely on the intelligence of the people on the net
to moderate the net, or do we have to hardwire decision 
matrices into inews(I)?

Michael Wagner, University of Toronto Computing Services