12-29-2008, 05:47 AM
Being someone who values civility, I have noticed the recent trends on Punaweb with some trepidation. I think it is important for everyone to have their core beliefs challenged from time to time, be they liberal or conservative. When such challenges descend into personal attacks or snarkiness for its own sake, however, I think it becomes destructive and accomplishes nothing. In fact, such discourse will almost never change anyone's mind because the target rejects the whole package based on the nasty tone of the message. This is really too bad because some of the good points of all sides are being shoved aside in the verbal melees that sometimes result. Of course this is making an assumption that these posters really want to have a meaningful debate, when some of them just want to stir up a big hu-hu and could care less about changing anyone else's mind.
Of course sarcasm has a place in my world. Just read some of my old posts and you will see plenty of it, but some of what we see here these days is way beyond sarcasm. There are a number of threads around right now that I don't even bother to read after the first few posts, never mind add my two cents.
Cheers,
Jerry
Of course sarcasm has a place in my world. Just read some of my old posts and you will see plenty of it, but some of what we see here these days is way beyond sarcasm. There are a number of threads around right now that I don't even bother to read after the first few posts, never mind add my two cents.
Cheers,
Jerry