Date: Mon, 29 Sep 1997 15:49:49 +0800 From: "John H. Phillips III" <phillips@library.ucsf.edu> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3774$foo@default> Subject: Netiquette, flaming, and sharing info
At 03:44 PM 9/29/97 -0700, you wrote:
>Seems like Epidemiology is your best subject - NOT. Here we go again -
>DON'T GO EXPOUNDING ON ABOUT A FLAT EARTH WHEN EDUCATED PEOPLE ABOUND WHO
>KNOW IT IS ROUND. Go to the library. Search the Internet. Do something,
>anything besides blathering on about somthing you know little about - but
>other people do.
>
>Informing people is good, MISinforming them is evil. Where do you think
>such "wonders" of the supposedly rational human mind as racism, genocide,
>etc. came from? As the saying goes "The Road To Perdition Is Paved With
>Good Intentions".
>Ther are lots of examples of such well-intentioned but harmfull
>"information" in current events. Check out the video of "Junk Science -
>What You Know That May Not Be So" by John Stossel. Also check out Peter
>Huber's "Galileo's Revenge - Junk Science in the Coartroom", and of course
>Carl Sagin's final gift to humanity "A Candle in the Dark". Irrational
>though processes have killed over a billion people this century alone. We
>must fight it whenever it raises its ugly head.
>
>
>Pointing out malarky is only "insulting" if it isn't true.
>
>"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and
>remove all doubt." - W. Churchill.
>
>
>Sorry about the flame, but people who live in gas houses...
>
>Dr. John E. Cavanaugh, MD, MS, etc.
>blah blah balah
>
Dear Dr, Cavanaugh,
Netiquette asks that you to post the subject of your message in the
subject line. Please don't quote the CP Digest number in the subject line
when you reply to the list.
If you truly wish to educate people, they are usually more willing to
listen if you are polite instead of rude and abusive. If you are rude,
people will have no interest in listening to you, and will feel justified in
keeping their opinions no matter how unscientific they may be. The purpose
of a list like this is to discuss information, not berate the other
participants. Flaming does not expand the awareness of others, nor your
own. Other people already explained to the person who posted the note about
encephalitis some of the reasons why his warning was unnecessary and based
on incorrect information. The list would have benefited from any additional
information you could have shared concerning encephalitis, rather than
sending us all an abusive flame.
Dear CP List Subscribers,
Over the past year, several people have told me they are reluctant to
lose their "lurker" status and send their questions to the list. They have
seen others flamed over issues and questions which did not seem to warrrant
the abuse. Some of these people have sent questions to me via personal
e-mail, because they were reluctant to risk getting flamed. Let's all try
to keep the list a place which invites people to ask questions and share
their information.
Please remember that patience and compassion are virtues, especially
on the internet. And remember, some people subscribing to the list are
children.
Thank you,
John H. Phillips III e-mail:phillips@library.ucsf.edu
Interlibrary Loan Rm 202
Health Sciences Library
University of California
530 Parnassus Ave
San Francisco, CA 94143-0840
PH: (415) 476-8383
FAX: (415) 476-7940
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