[Tango-L] Acrimoniousness

[m i l e s]

All,

I wonder if its that difficult for this group to actually have a  
discussion that isn't acrimonious ?

In my 15 years online in every forum I've either managed or been  
party to there has always been a level of common human decency in  
email communications.  And at the very least, the flame wars were  
eventually taken offline and conversation resumed in a civilized and  
humane manner.  This list is the exception to that rule.  This list  
not only needs to be moderated or at the very least some level of  
control and inhibition needs to be put in place, it further needs to  
get a grip on how to treat one another.

I have been party to and co-created that level acrimoniousness in the  
last 6 months (giving as good as I've gotten, and I despised and  
chided myself for doing just that!), but this stuff is just  
heartbreaking and a pain to have to deal with on a regular basis.  I  
can easily see why so many people leave.  I know of a half dozen  
alone this week from the bay area.  You'd think we were all  
squabbling children with the way that we speak to each other online.

I can imagine this same conversations in an actual room, and I can  
virtually guarantee that a.) they it'd never happen, and b.) there'd  
be a level of civil discourse that resembled a tea party of the 18th  
century, where politeness and civility were the norm, and nary a  
harsh word was spoken or even whispered.

Is that possible ?

M i l e s.