Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!cbosgd!ihnp4!zehntel!dual!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-amber!chabot From: chabot@amber.DEC (Lisa S. Chabot) Newsgroups: net.flame Subject: multiple postings Message-ID: <3683@decwrl.UUCP> Date: Wed, 19-Sep-84 12:12:38 EDT Article-I.D.: decwrl.3683 Posted: Wed Sep 19 12:12:38 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 07:19:04 EDT Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP Organization: DEC Engineering Network Lines: 47 I wonder if there isn't a misunderstanding about net.flame. What brought this up is that I have lately noticed articles posted to net.flame and another newsgroup, and the content of the article is a flame about material relevant to the other newsgroup--it's as if when you come up with something really rude, you also post it to net.flame (not always, I know, or we'd be drowned by all the friendly :-( things happening in net.motss). And these resulting discussions from these postings rarely fail to outlive the resulting discussions in the other newsgroup: for example, net.sf-lovers has ceased snarling about fat, but here it's still sizzling in the fire. Now, many of these resulting discussions have changed from their original targets -- the discussion of fans has changed to a discussion about looks and tolerance -- and often along the way provide us with things for thought. But, why do these things get posted to net.flame anyway? Is it because "I'm so angry about this I'm going to shout it at the world"? Or "I'm angry but can't say anything directed or convincing so I'll declare this by also posting it to net.flame"? Or "this is a really good argument, and all the folk in net.flame will enjoy (or be impressed by) my words"? Or "let's see what other people have to say"? [or is it a Freudian slip of the fingers?] So, what is going on here? Where are all the discussions about the cars that ran us off the road in this morning's commute? Are we relying too much on fire imported from other newsgroups? Is net.flame in danger of losing it's ability to support itself? + + + + + Well, after that rather tepid flame, I'll contribute what gets me worked up the most--intolerance. The wild rudeness about other people's religions or non- religious behavior, sexual habits, gender, race, and favorite etc. It's really appalling that we shout back and forth across miles and miles all this rot on the order of "Oh, you say you're 'X', well, then you're an ignoramouse who doesn't know a wombat from a mole in the ground" and "I don't care what you like, I think 'squirrel' is what I'm entitled to call you" and "you people are all a bunch of minks, and have no understanding of erminal love" and "ratties have no business out in public hareports". If this kind of behavior were constrained to net.flame, then it might be understandable. But no, hear in net.flame we only here the echoes of the real nastiness lurking out thear. "Yes, life in the future is a lot like having bees live in your head." L S Chabot UUCP: ...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-amber!chabot ARPA: ...chabot%amber.DEC@decwrl.ARPA USFail: DEC, MR03-1/K20, 2 Iron Way, Marlborough, MA 01752