Why Netiquette matters...

[Ron Smyth]

More stinking flaming.  What is WRONG with you people?  If you don't like
something that someone says, why can't you say so in a civil tone?
Thomas, the problem with flaming is that you make yourself look worse than
the person you are castigating.  You have definitely accomplished that
here.  I don't know you, but given what you have just written I have no
desire to ever come across you.

None of this is academic.  There's no place for it on an academic list.
If the members can't control their base urges why not either shut it down
completely or block each person immediately when they send a flaming
message?  No need to moderate beforehand.  Let them spew their venom and
then forever hold their pace.  Then let's get back to work.
ron


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Ron Smyth, Associate Professor
Linguistics & Psychology
University of Toronto
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On Thu, 10 Mar 2011, Thomas Pinto wrote:

> Alex Gross have you ever considered why you ‘may not always receive as many
> replies as you might’ is probably due to the fact that you are pretentious
> self indulgent attention whore?   Your bio presented on your website is both
> laughable and embarrassing.      http://language.home.sprynet.com/
>
> >A practicing polyglot, Alex Gross has meddled in more nations and cultures
> than he ever had the right to do—and he has left a few traces of his
> activities behind him in all of them. Selig-like, he seamlessly blended into
> his surroundings and propelled both artistic and political motion in Germany,
> the UK, the US, and Holland.
>
> > Over the last thirty-five years Chinese Medicine, the Ancient Greek
> Theatre, Artificial Intelligence, the Unabomber, Dramaturgy for the Royal
> Shakespeare Company, Translation in Theory and Practice, Radio Announcing in
> Spain, and unceasingly Language and Linguistics have been just some of the
> causes and activities where he has left tangible and legible traces.
>
> Ugh. Ego much?  Your observations and ideas often have some merit and
> insight but these are offset by your use of this discussion group as a
> Kleenex for your mental masturbation.   Yes, Jess Tauber and the chimp
> researcher Aya Katz also seem to enjoy posting and ruminating but at least
> they have proper training and a background in language and linguistics not
> like your ad hoc hodge podge set of skills and supposed qualifications.
>
> As you so aptly pointed out I wonder if it might not be appropriate for you,
> Alex Gross, to consider that perhaps you yourself might conceivably be one
> reason why debate is sometimes curtailed here and why some contributors
> might think twice about posting.
>