Re: question

Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Fri, 8 Nov 1996 09:43:44 -0500 (EST)

On Fri, 8 Nov 1996, rdold wrote:
> Okay, excepting this time, when I came in after the big fight and am
> clueless as to the meaning and the subject of it (nor do I really have an
> aching need to know), but I do know that I would rather get to the
> messages like what chemicals will not cause a holocaust in my darkroom

> There. if that made _any_ sense, can I sit down now? :)
> laura

Laura, sure it makes sense, but raises as many issues as it answers.

Here are the first few that come to mind:

This "list" is inevitably a social space as well as a machine for cranking
out good (or bad) information. There is no psychiatric interview before
entry, nor do we have any controls once we're here beyond self-control,
and group pressure, both of which can, and have, failed at intervals.

So things happen. We have, in past surmounted them. But the sum of the
cumulative effect, like marital problems, may be greater than the parts.

There has been lately in my mind the feeling that some of us,
voluntarily of course, and due to our nature of course, are, OK, how shall
I say this??? Let's say figured to be on retainer, if we don't snap up an
answer we're on the carpet. And meanwhile, we're expected to entertain.
Come up with *good* stuff. Also to reply to inquiries sent directly to us
because the sender fears being embarrassed asking the question of the
group.

I myself do not agree, for instance, with listers who urged a recently
announced departing person to stay, said person having just told us that
he'd come on after an absence and hadn't found anything interesting so
phooey on us. Hello? Why didn't he say something interesting himself? We
owed him?

Then I can't help wondering what in your background (and that's the
editorial "you", I mean the other 555 lurkers) makes you so easily
embarrassed and so afraid of the condition. Believe me, being embarrassed
is like vitamins, and small price to pay for freedom of expression,
growth and learning. Is that the American school system left you in this
frame of mind? (I expect to be embarrassed several times over at responses
to this message, but...... honi soi que mal y pense, and so forth.)

As I say, these are just the first things that occur to me. I don't want
to embarrass anyone, but to express my own growing weariness -- not
only with card-carrying bomb throwers, but much else.....

Cheers,

Judy