| ashu |
Posted
on 07-Apr-01 06:37 AM
I am delighted to note that people here by and large
support:
a) FREEDOM OF SPEECH in absolute terms (i.e. tolerating
even the "kabi" episode). I certainly enjoyed kabi's poem,
even when I disagreed with parts of it and wished kabi
has posted the same stuff in his/her real name.
b) but people are genuinely troubled by: what are seen as criticisms and attacks made ANONYMOUSLY (i.e. with no
name and no valid email addresses!)
I think people are troubled because there's something
deeply offensive about the way anonymous posters do NOT have
to take responsibility for their postings, in ways the rest
of us, posting in our names, do.
Of course, freedom of speech also ALLOWS for absolutely STUPID views of people like Rajendra [note: Rajendra's view in this
case is stupid; not Rajendra himself who, for all I know, may
call himself an MIT graduate!!] who -- gasp! choke !! -- pretended to be troubled by the postings of "those that also [spew] venom and acrimony . . . and [are] superficial and insincere using their own name?"
I mean, how ridiculous and Stalin-like can one get?
Well, Rajendra-ji, if posters "are using their own name", as you say, even to spew garbage, why then are YOU troubled by that in any way?
Isn't it logically obvious to you, me or anyone else that as long as people are posting stuff -- brilliant or stupid -- in their own names, they are FULLY responsible for their own views?
And so, as long as that is the case, your worrying about what to do with people who post -- good or bad stuff -- in their own names smacks me of a terrible pang of insecurity or I-decide-what's-good-and-what's-bad-on-this-Web-site sort of blind
arrogance on your part -- neither of which is "a little
surprising" to say the least.
After all, let me remind you that you have every right NOT to read the postings you find that are, by your own admission, "insincere and venomous."
Again, since great truth needs to be repeated: Let me end on
the wisdom shared by Dr. Dinesh Nath Gongal, the famous Nepali surgeon who, in the twilight of his life, wanted to share the lessons hw could have used before his career ended: Be polite,
be humane and never blow up.
Rajendra-ji, I am posting this in my own name. My email address
is: ashutiwari@hotmail.com and I, or one, take responsibility
for my stuff here.
I am not going to ask for your full name or for that matter, your
real name or email address. I doubt whether you'd be able to able to handle such truths in public space.
But you should know that when people here are concerned about easy escapes mae anonymous posters, your concerns about people using their real names is stupid, illogical, insecure and Stalin-like.
oohi
ashu
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| rajendra |
Posted
on 07-Apr-01 11:43 AM
Well, well, well... what can I say? And we thought you were the one against slanders and personalizations... and of course staying cool about it all!
I see that you have a penchant for giving people names and now even qualifications!! I'm flattered that you think I am an MIT graduate, but again I'm confused by your calling me stupid in the same sentence! People who go to to MIT are usually equated with being smart, aren't they?
But of course, even people who go to Harvard or MIT can still remain stupid! Dare I say we have a fine example right here? :) j/k.
Anyway, let me paraphrase my earlier posting. My point is, the ACTION of spewing venom is troublesome, regardless of whether you do it anonymously or with your own name. We can gripe about anonymous posters till the cows home come but freedom of speech, especially on the net, always allows for both anonymous and non-anonymous postings. A posting is acrimonious not because it is anonymous, but because of its CONTENT. My merely attaching, does it make a venomous posting legitimate and OKAY?
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