![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
But let me tell you why.
Sep. 11th, 2008 08:53 amIf, for some reason, you *think* you know my politics and how I am going to vote (and think that's any of your business), and that so offends you that you cannot be friends with me any more, then please, go ahead and take me off the list.
I'm tired of it all.
I do not care for everything that I am reading on my FList right now, but A) it doesn't make me want to drop people and B) it's not because it's presenting a side with which I may disagree (I may not. You don't know. Really, you don't).
It's because of the vituperative nature of the posts.
I believe a person will catch more flies with honey, which is to say, I believe in civil discourse. I also believe that Freedom of Speech and Civil Discourse are not mutually exclusive. It is your blog, and you can say whatever you want on it. I don't care about that, or rather, I have absolutely no inclination to comment or otherwise police that, because it's your blog.
That being said, I really wonder why it's so aggressive. Maybe you're sharing the passion of your beliefs, and ranting against the opposition (whoever that might be), and all you really want to do is let it out, perhaps get a "right on" from kindred spirits of your internet community. If so, that's cool. It's your blog! Political beliefs are deeply personal for many, and it makes complete sense that we get our blood pumping thinking about them, much less talking about them.
However, if, by some chance, you're wanting to enlighten a few minds, change a few hearts, sway a few votes, let me offer a suggestion. Stop talking like a bigot. Seriously.
Once you've gone to the level of saying "Supporters of Side X are stupid," (or variants on that theme) no matter who you are, you've lost me. To me, that's no different from saying Polacks are stupid, or any other group. As though that does anything but make those previously-undecided-but-statistically-inclined-to-lean-one-way do anything but dig their heels in and not budge!
Cite facts. Don't link to media articles/blogs of a vituperative nature as though they are proof, unless they have links for facts. And I mean, in the field of politics: links to public records, legislative bills, and other documents.
But that's if you're wanting to change people's minds. If you're just letting your passion show, rock on. It's your blog.
But let me leave you with this: I read a lot of complaints, here, in the news, etc., about mudslinging and muckraking. There's some which seems to be accepted as part and parcel of politics (through the history of man), but often the soundbite is about how much worse or ugly is it now, this time.
How can we expect it to get any better if we do not model better discussion/behavior for each other (inclusive of our entire community, meaning minors and adults alike)? if no one says, "even if you personally think side X is wrong, you need to use reasoning and logic to make your argument, because you are representing your side when you do. You are marketing it, and being its face in public settings because others will associate what they know of Side Y with those they know support it," then how will we ever have any future leaders who act accordingly?
Do not oversell the one side, thinking to balance an inequity towards the other, in the belief that it will result in a balance of both. It will not. It will merely result in the same situation with opposite polarity.
Links of Interest:
*Civil Discourse
*Freedom of Speech and Civil Discourse -- Are They Mutually Exclusive? (mostly refers to internet communities)
*Why cognitive misers love company, too.
I'm tired of it all.
I do not care for everything that I am reading on my FList right now, but A) it doesn't make me want to drop people and B) it's not because it's presenting a side with which I may disagree (I may not. You don't know. Really, you don't).
It's because of the vituperative nature of the posts.
I believe a person will catch more flies with honey, which is to say, I believe in civil discourse. I also believe that Freedom of Speech and Civil Discourse are not mutually exclusive. It is your blog, and you can say whatever you want on it. I don't care about that, or rather, I have absolutely no inclination to comment or otherwise police that, because it's your blog.
That being said, I really wonder why it's so aggressive. Maybe you're sharing the passion of your beliefs, and ranting against the opposition (whoever that might be), and all you really want to do is let it out, perhaps get a "right on" from kindred spirits of your internet community. If so, that's cool. It's your blog! Political beliefs are deeply personal for many, and it makes complete sense that we get our blood pumping thinking about them, much less talking about them.
However, if, by some chance, you're wanting to enlighten a few minds, change a few hearts, sway a few votes, let me offer a suggestion. Stop talking like a bigot. Seriously.
Once you've gone to the level of saying "Supporters of Side X are stupid," (or variants on that theme) no matter who you are, you've lost me. To me, that's no different from saying Polacks are stupid, or any other group. As though that does anything but make those previously-undecided-but-statistically-inclined-to-lean-one-way do anything but dig their heels in and not budge!
Cite facts. Don't link to media articles/blogs of a vituperative nature as though they are proof, unless they have links for facts. And I mean, in the field of politics: links to public records, legislative bills, and other documents.
But that's if you're wanting to change people's minds. If you're just letting your passion show, rock on. It's your blog.
But let me leave you with this: I read a lot of complaints, here, in the news, etc., about mudslinging and muckraking. There's some which seems to be accepted as part and parcel of politics (through the history of man), but often the soundbite is about how much worse or ugly is it now, this time.
How can we expect it to get any better if we do not model better discussion/behavior for each other (inclusive of our entire community, meaning minors and adults alike)? if no one says, "even if you personally think side X is wrong, you need to use reasoning and logic to make your argument, because you are representing your side when you do. You are marketing it, and being its face in public settings because others will associate what they know of Side Y with those they know support it," then how will we ever have any future leaders who act accordingly?
Do not oversell the one side, thinking to balance an inequity towards the other, in the belief that it will result in a balance of both. It will not. It will merely result in the same situation with opposite polarity.
Links of Interest:
*Civil Discourse
*Freedom of Speech and Civil Discourse -- Are They Mutually Exclusive? (mostly refers to internet communities)
*Why cognitive misers love company, too.
