From: blanc <blancw@cnw.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 02:27:39 -0800 (PST)
To: "'cypherpunks@toad.com>
Subject: RE: Cyphernomicon by Tim May
Message-ID: <199702021027.CAA16906@toad.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


From:	Toto

  I am not speaking of the sheep-mentality in regard to moderation or
any other single issue on the list. I am speaking of the tendency of
many list-members to fall into common ruts of thought wherein the
comments and opinions of others are auto-files as this-or-that,
and interpreted in that light, no matter what the actual content
of their messages.
................................................

Hm, well, what's an anarchist to do about other people's psychological 
makeup?

=

 I regard Igor and yourself, and a number of others, in the same
light. I'm reluctant to bend over and drop my pants, waiting for
you to kiss my butt, because I realize that I am just as likely
to feel the sting of your toe-nailed boots instead of soft lips.
..........................................

Hm, well, I'm not in the custom of doing either of those things, but thanks 
for the compliment!

=

  But, under the New List Order, any strong opinion risks being
thrown in the crapper as a 'flame'.
...............................................

Not that I'm condoning centralized management, but I bet I could flame 
anyone pretty good yet by-pass the moderator.  It's all in the style, you 
know.   Some people are very delicate about what offends them - I know I 
could get on some particular people's nerves any day without trying.   An 
opportunist can take advantage of another's infirmity by being perfectly 
polite while yet excruciatingly annoying.
=

 Yes, but there are always members to whom these treatises and orientation 
of thought are 'new', and people only notice the repetiveness when they 
are, indeed, following these posts, which means that they must be getting 
some value out of them.
............................................

Oh, I wasn't condemning Tim's posts as being repetitive and boring - it's 
commendable that he would write about the same ideas in fresh new ways, for 
the benefit of the newbies and the entertainment of the oldies.

But not everyone is as interested & willing (or have the time) to 
re-iterate this way, and  with only one or a few "holding up the ship", so 
to speak, it leaves a lot of room for wayless bickering degenerating into 
unproductive ad hominems - ad absurdum, ad nauseam.

You, know, Toto, I heard that there's a vacancy in the Cypherpunk Division 
of History & Philosophy ....

    ..
Blanc