From: TruthMonger <tm@dev.null>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 1997 09:57:56 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: [cpe:4537]  Tim May's defensive racism (was: about RC9)
In-Reply-To: <199711171934.NAA24335@dfw-ix16.ix.netcom.com>
Message-ID: <3470F1F2.4A47@dev.null>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Neva Remailer, cleverly pretending to be Monty Can2sin wrote:
> 
> -----BEGIN PGP FORGED MESSAGE-----
> I am of the opinion that Hettinga still has some value, but he should
> work on his style and do a little more homework before posting.
> 
> I think what he is trying to convey is relentless positive energy and
> friendliness.  This may work in person, but it tends to fail in ASCII.

  Electronic communication is a bare-bones ASCII interpretation of
our intended communication. i.e. - stripped of intonation and other
physical gestures which convey a meaning beyond the mere words we
speak, in themselves.
  Although there are some rudimentary ASCII images (:>) which can be
used to add elements of shared emotional or conceptual constructs to
the message we are attempting to convey.

  The Medium IS the Message.
  Until the email/communications medium evolves to allow us the ability
to add not only smiles and winks, etc., but also chagrin, doubt, self-
doubt, etc., to our online communications, the medium will remain an
impediment to conveying the totality of our true message, as opposed to
being merely an electronic version of 'pidgin Englich'.
  e.g. - When I read 'ymmv', I interpret it as 'You Make Me Vomit.'
 despite the fact that I now know it is usually meant as 'Your Mileage
 May Vary'. I still instinctively take it to mean the former, which
 sometimes results in miscommunication, and sometimes results in some
 of the most outrageous humor imaginable.

> He also doesn't seem to be aware that a good portion of his articles
> are insulting.  It's somewhat understandable if he is a recovering
> Democrat.  I've seen cases like this before and they are treatable.

  One of the advantages of the shortcomings of email as a communications
medium is that we _do_ see our intended meaning stripped bare, with the
result that we then have to 'think' (god forbid!) about what portion of
our message is being 'twisted' by the loss of our accompanying physical
gestures, and what portion of our message is being 'revealed' by the
removal of the 'socially polite' gestures that we use to 'conceal' our
true intent in our message.
  e.g. - When a dog bares its teeth while cringing, and the dog's human
 companion says, "It's just her way of smiling." Right...

  When we are attacked for what our ASCII Doppleganger 'appears' to 
reveal about us and our message, we tend to adopt a 'fight or flight'
posture, in which we then proceed to either 'suck ass', drooling on
ourself as we try to explain what we "meant to say," or we launch
a counter-attack which tends to confirm the opposite of what we had
intended to convey.
  The only True (TM) response to, "You are a racist, sexist, violent
asshole piece of shit!" is, "Yeah? So what's your point?"

  If you take a look at the posts which stir-up long threads of
animosity and dissention, I think you will recognize that they
are based on simple, universal 'keywords' which we then react to
by aligning ourself on this-or-that side of the Newtonian equation.
  We need to remind ourselves that, ever since the Theory of 
Relativity was born, we should take into account that Dr. Vulis'
theory that "All CypherPunks are cocksuckers." is subject to wide
variations of interpretation/acceptability, depending on whether
the 'CypherPunk' is named John Gilmore, or Carol Anne Cypherpunk.

  Not that I'm a 'sexist'...:> (;P) {:0) (:) {;{>}

  (:>)=======<  Help! They knocked me down and cut off my arms!

       \
  (:>)-------<  I'm healed! I'm healed.
       /

ArmMonger