"I think that given the right circumstances, we all are hypocrites so I'm
not sure what the ultimate point was.

The discussion covered the ground of the notion that a degree doesn't
necessarily prove anything and I amplified with further proof of that
argument.

The second post was to amplify the notion (at least in my mind), what
truly represents flamebait. It's not as if I use the PLUG list to
advance my own personal political views because if I did that, you would
certainly know it."

The fact that anyone can be critical does not absolve hypocrites of blame, nor should it suffice to clear their guilt. It's more disappointing, morally, that one would think hypocrisy is acceptable because it's common than it is that someone would be a hypocrite in the first place. An action's popularity isn't a moral argument--it's a cop-out.

I don't know how you meant for things to be interpreted, but something simple like an emoticon would have greatly changed the imagined inflection with which one reads your words. Emoticons don't have to damage your argument or example, either. A simple wink to acknowledge that the example preceding it is off-topic wouldn't discredit or invalidate your argument or example at all, and at the same time, pretty much remove any chance of it being interpreted as flamebait.

As for rigorously defining "flamebait," flaming and throwing out flamebait are words that relate directly to communication. If one's goal is to communicate successfully, it is their job to make sure that those receiving their communications interpret the information correctly. Unless you've only defined flamebait as such to live by some internal moral code, and not for the more useful purpose of communicating effectively with others, I would adjust the way you filter through what you say to agree as much as possible with the audience you're working with without compromising the sense of your points.

--Patrick C.

On Jan 31, 2008 8:05 PM, Craig White <craigwhite@azapple.com> wrote:
On Thu, 2008-01-31 at 19:55 -0700, JT Moree wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Joshua Zeidner wrote:
> >> not the place for it
> >
> >   Then what is?
>
> Alright, I'll take the flamebait.
>
> I don't care what your politics are.  Maybe I agree with your assessment
> of Bush.
>
> I agree with you when you say that this forum is NOT the place for it.
> But you do exactly the opposite of what you preach by 'banging your
> drum'.  Then you tell the rest of us that it's not the place for it--as
> if the rest of us should listen to you but it's OK for you to do it.
>
> I'm now fanning the flames to prove a point.  You sir, are a hypocrite.
----
I think that given the right circumstances, we all are hypocrites so I'm
not sure what the ultimate point was.

The discussion covered the ground of the notion that a degree doesn't
necessarily prove anything and I amplified with further proof of that
argument.

The second post was to amplify the notion (at least in my mind), what
truly represents flamebait. It's not as if I use the PLUG list to
advance my own personal political views because if I did that, you would
certainly know it.

Craig

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