Re: F**king Ramblers.

The Reid wrote:

I think communication has to find commonly understood ground or it
fails.

So there has to be a period of experimentation to find out where that
commonly understood ground is then, yes?

I think the problem [1] with the internet is that it throws people from all
different backgrounds and social circles together into one huge melting pot,
so that people who are unlikely to come into contact in a real-life social
situation, find themselves encountering one another as a matter of course.
But most people on the internet have no idea who they're actually
talking/writing to, and I presume it's common to assume that most other
people are, or should be, like those that they're know in real life. So it
comes as a big shock when others don't conform to what they consider to be
"social norms".

Those "social norms" are only normal within their own social circles, so
it's no surprise that so many have trouble understanding one another's
intentions, which all too often results in flame wars and the like.

[1] I call it a problem, but I actually think it's a good thing, an
opportunity for people to expand their experience of others, to become more
tolerant and understanding, as opposed to remaining narrow minded and
intolerant, expecting others to conform to the peculiar notions that they
happen to have grown up with. I think anyone who goes on the internet needs
to be fundamentally open-minded, otherwise they're just asking for trouble.

Yes, I suggested he cancel the post! Not a bad idea in the days of
instant BB.

BB?

I recently read some internet laws related to blogging, which said that
comments on your blog are the copyright of those who wrote them, and that
you would actually be breaking the law if you edited or deleted their posts,
without first listing terms and conditions on your blog that would allow you
to do that. So bear that in mind if you start a blog, make it clear that you
"reserve the right to trash posts by tossers!" ;-) Or something a bit more
PC.

But on the other side of the coin, starting lots of good arguments on your
blog can be a good way of making it popular.

There's no need to say that a "white gunman went crazy and
shot a bunch of people". If no colour is mentioned, white will be
assumed.

I see the logic but think its better to either always specify or never
specify to avoid the pitfall of stereotyping

Well tell the BBC that then, and all the other news organisations!

Thing is, if a white gunman went crazy in darkest Africa, I'd expect it to
be reported that he was white, since that's not the norm in Africa.

Colourful phraseology does make a post more interesting and
enjoyable to read by the way.

Compare the following:

"I raced to the car park, turned in sharpy, slammed on the anchors
and screeched to a halt, showing the arrogant attendant with gravel.
I begrudgingly paid the little Hitler before fighting my way through
hordes of grockles to get on the open hill. All of a sudden it
started pissing down and I faced a miserable slog to the summit."

hmmm, stereotyping all Hitlers as dictatorial and associating small
people with dictators, I think the hidden message here is that all
local govt staff are anti semetic :-)

Damn! How did you spot that? ;-)

"I drove to the car park and parked my car. I paid the attendant
then walked past the other visitors to reach the open ground beyond.
Unfortunately it began to rain, so I put on my waterproofs. It
looked as though I was likely to get a little wet on my stroll up
the hill."

Basically the same facts, but conveying a completely different
impression. While the second is more politically correct and less
likely to offend anyone, it's far more likely to bore the reader
into a state of mindless tedium, and more likely to make them move
on to the next post before reaching the end.

pardon? :-)

Exactly.

What say we bring the interrogation to an end and allow poor toad to be
released and put on probation for a while?

The Negotiator
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk


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