Re: slamming

[Gila Jones <majones -at- EXO -dot- COM>]

> to post an opinion. This is an email list, for God's sake, and most
> people don't even know who you are. It's not like they called you a
> jerk straight to your face in front of friends and family.

Absolutely correct. It's MUCH worse.

Being slammed on the net is generally done by a "perfect" stranger,
in front of a bunch of strangers who probably don't care about you
personally. You don't even *know* for sure who is looking on. You
don't know whether the remark was meant seriously, jokingly,
quizzically, or ironically. You don't know if it might have been the
result of a misinterpretation. You can't see the slammer's face, and
the slammer doesn't see any pain that might be on the slammee's
face. (Therefore, of course, it is perfectly "all right" for the
slammer to claim that no harm has been done.) When you get slammed,
you have no recourse -- any on-list complaint you make will probably
be further slammed as "whining" or the like.

[After the slam and complaint, the rest of the list will generally
hold back their comments for a little while. Then a couple of brave
souls will offer their opinion, and the remainder of the pack will
generally line up on the side of the person who got the most initial
support. It's all very democratic -- just like the sig line about the
3 lions and a sheep (or whatever) voting on what to have for lunch.]

Gila Jones     -----     majones -at- exo -dot- com

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