Date: Wed, 25 Oct 1995 23:22:45 EDT From: The Fool Subject: FILLER: What, Windy Again? Comments: To: Dry Tinder? Hello. For those of you who haven't decided to delete everything dealing with today out of hand (in hopes that tomorrow sanity may rise again?), let me assure you that I do not intend to cast flames, aspersions, or other irritants. I may, of course, be wrong about the effects, but my intentions are quite retardant. (let the puns fall where they may) [some day I will figure out the law that says flambe affairs like this must arise practically instantaneously. probably one of those engineering laws relating to flash points or something, right? the density of posters divided by the frequency and volume of postings is perversely multiplied by the rate of spread of flaming idiocy? something like that, anyway? apologies for joining the game late, some of us have other disasters to tend...oh, wow, are you in this game too?] Let me see if I can summarize a bit. One person posted something. Someone else posted something in response. Right so far? Somewhere after that, the world went nuts. [All of this happened in the space of--say 15 hours? Could you people please slow it down a bit? How about a formal declaration of flamewar, delivered by snails, required before proceeding to full torches? I'd appreciate a warning if you intend to complete WW3 before I've even had a reasonable chance to read the day's email, let alone think about it. WKRZY News Flash! As the most immediate toxic fallout of the day's blasts, we have reported readings of declarations of set deadlines for complete withdrawal. Our reporters say they have not so far seen clear statements of demands or evidence of willingness to negotiate coming from the front, just waves of complete and utter disengagement being tendered without any hint of future intentions of rapprochement. Other forces have indicated support and hinted at joining in a general departure, leaving an empty playing field...it is a radioactive wind that blows no one good...we're pretty sick out here...that's the news, now back to the views...] So. we've got personal slams being given in private email, threats to leave the list in protest of such venom on the list, threats to leave the list in support of those who leave the list, threats to leave the list in protest of those who don't leave the list, demands that we all abandon the list in order to deform a less perfect union and provide for the illness of our words... and (deep breathing well over the line here...) TWEEEETT!!! Timeout, timeout. Somehow, I don't understand how leaving the list EVER builds the list. All it does is make sure that you hurt, that we hurt, and that the community is deafened by the silent reverberations of that forever-damned tolling bell! Stick around, Val, Dana, and the rest of you. Sure, if you need to take a break, do it--or if you want to write about something, anything besides these corrosive flamefests, be my guest. I have to admit I find it frightening to see the participation in this, where discussion of what constitutes good writing or joining in a robbin is slow and light...fear of writing overcome by anger? But I've got news for all of you--you can write well. And you're all welcome to do so here, so don't be too eager to uninvite people. Certainly there is room for improvement, but then most of us have room for that--heck, that's what this list is all about! Sometimes, when we aren't spending our time flambeing friends and neighbors, we even spend some time working on that instead of Molotov cocktails. So instead of threatening to punish yourself and the rest of us by not participating, how about ignoring the slings and arrows (and bottles!) of outrageous flames? Come, let us take arms together against that sea of troubles that spews us all with its cold salt spray (hot gasoline vapors?) and by opposing, end them! Come, let us make the bard spin in his coffin! [WHOA! LITERARY QUOTE!!!! Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Sorry for the intrusion of that reference, but it seems apropos. Even back then they had flamers!] Here's my challenge. Next time something irritates you, instead of flashing back immediately, take some time. Try to understand what the other person was trying to say, then do your finest work at writing your responses so that they can understand it, and (hopefully) learn or change after reading it? It isn't easy. [I already know that several of Murphy's laws conspired to assure that--given that today was massive sheer turmoil at work spiced with the practical inconvenience of having a new system to use (with all the fun of figuring out how to do ordinary things like reading mail)--anyway, the one day when I absolutely cannot spend time trying to think about what is going on here in the sandbox is the day that a tornado decides to decimate the playground...] So. Blow on, winds, 'cause this writer is here to stay. Whether others want to do their work here or elsewhere is their choice, but... the sand is free. Dreams of castles are too precious to waste, so please, join me. In the writers's sandbox. tink