Name:   copperline - Subject:   Summary Date:   7/5/2012 7:58:19 PM

Summarizing here, it looks like some of you thought this thread might be a challenge and responded by posting your names….  (i think my intentions were misunderstood, but this is not too surprising  because so much of the tone in the forum is so confrontational).   Others seem to think i was making too much of the matter, or that the aggressive language was harmless, or that the anonymous communication of anger was good for us because it creates an outlet for hostilities that might be acted on in a direct (and physical) way.     There was a suggestion that anonymously expressed hostility was more honest, which could be a good thing but also makes it more likely that conversations would become aggressive, which could be a reasonable price to pay for more truthfulness.    

Ecstacypoint connected the dots & got right to the heart of why i brought it up,  i was thinking that the Forum is reflecting a larger problem in the ‘body politic’ and about how our culture may be changed by the ways we find to communicate with each other.   if we can understand what’s going on…. to have a more objective, insightful view of our own behavior at this level, we might see the bigger issues differently. 

iMO, rather than become more aware of the world & each other, we seem to be becoming more irritated and intolerant, even threatened.  And the anonymity cloak makes it possible to be incredibly dismissive of each other in ways that verbal conversation would not, which triggers more anger in the people we are trying to communicate with.   What was supposed to be a conversation about politics turns into a competition with where people either win or lose, no middle ground.    i don’t think that’s a good outcome nor a positive development in our culture.  

Ecstacypoint’s reference to ‘cyberbulling’ reminded me that i wouldn’t tolerate my kids talking to each other this way. 

Really, MartiniMan?  Violence is the province of Liberals and peaceful co-existence the watch-word of Conservatives?   Hmmm…  do you really believe these generalizations or are you just kidding?   Not being able to look you in the eye, i can’t tell.