Subject: Re: Is it, or isn't it? From: goulding@student.REMOVE.law.ucla.edu (Trent Goulding) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written.robert-jordan Organization: University of California, Los Angeles School of Law On Mon, 19 Apr 1999 22:52:05 -0700, "Mat Eggert" wrote: >Yorthen the High wrote in message >news:371B8D35.7AF2913A@geocities.com... >> Is there any contest of who have most people in their killfile? >> Should it be like this? >> Because you don't spell some words right and some other small disturbing >> things you get killfiled? >> If you go around and killfile people for the smallest thing you won't see >>if the person you just killfiled have made any good posts. You're making the same erroneous assumptions that the militantly uninformed usually end up making. I would venture to say that *no one* here killfiles simply because of minor errors in spelling, grammar, or assorted other mechanical irregularities. Why? Because *everybody* makes minor errors in spelling and grammar, etc. And we all realize it. It's not the making of a few errors here and there that will get you killfiled (or ignored). It's the loudly espoused attitude that you don't really give a shit about the time honored conventions that actually facilitate communication rather than impeding it and that since your thoughts are so pregnant with transcendant meaning, all these anal, fascist grammar rules just don't apply to you, that will end up getting you eventually killfiled (or ignored). The Free Clue Bazaar is about to roll up its carpets, boot its camels in the ass, and hit that ol' dusty caravan trail, but before it does, here's a final offering: intentionally flouting the mechanical conventions that make civilized discourse possible might look good to the bohemian twinks who equate "avante-garde" with "important" or "relevant", but if you want to play in this salon, not giving a respectful nod to the forms is roughly equivalent to mooning the hostess and being sent to the corner to sulk. >I doubt that they really care. [...] Got it in one. Too bad it's the last error-free part of your post. > A peon being a person whom is not thought of as a regular, >and who may not spell every word correctly, or who might type >run-on sentences, or who might commit a long list of other grammatical >errors, or god forbid that such a peon would commit one of the most >heinous of sins - not using proper capitilization or not using quotes! [snip remainder of screed] Listen up, Chuckles. Point the first: These little episodes of tilting at the windmill of rasfwr-j conventions may seem delightfully novel to you, but you should realize that you're hardly the first iconoclastic wannabe to wander through the door thinking you're going to deconstruct the elitist bastards who hang out here. You're not even the fiftieth; it's been done before, many times. Point the second: If there is a "class" structure here, it is one based largely on merit. You can raise caste anytime you desire to subscribe to the very minimal requirements for doing so-- follow basic netiquette, and eschew posting content that portrays you as a mouth-breathing troglodyte. To imply that status as a "peon" is something to flout is to show yourself in a light remarkably less than flattering. Point the third: Newcomers forced to experience the nasty trauma incident to blunt application of the Clue Bat have two basic responses if they choose to stick around. They can sit down, shut-up, realize that they're dealing with a community that has an extensive institutional memory and strong sense of propriety, and work at adapting themselves to community norms with good grace and a pleasing humility. Or, they can take the rabble-rousing, up-yours approach, deluding themselves that they are somehow fighting the good fight and winning points in the "not knuckling under" category. The former will provide one with (eventually) many enjoyable hours of stimulating conversation; the latter will get one ignored. Your choice. -- Trent "The male ego, he often reflected these days, was a puppet master with a very black sense of humor."