From: Erik Reuter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: Killer Bs Discussion <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Killer Bs Discussion <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: The Case for a Marriage Ammendment to the Constitution Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 06:49:28 -0400
On Sun, Jul 27, 2003 at 06:31:52PM -0700, Doug Pensinger wrote:
> I can't remember seeing such obvious sarcasm whoosh over people's > heads the way Erik's comments did.
I think the reason it seems so obvious to you is that you think about what my viewpoints are likely to be on various issues, and compare that to what I write. Julia, Jon, and a number of other people do this as well, I'm sure. (I don't mean they just think about my viewpoints, I mean they think about the viewpoints of whoever is posting)
I do. In fact, that's what gets me in trouble most often. I sometimes jump to conclusions about what a person is saying based not only on what they've said in the past but also what I *think* they're saying. Since this has been a problem for me I now usually try to ask people to clarify their points (or allow them to do so with others) before I jump down their throats. :-)
It doesn't always work.
But there are some people who don't do this, either because it doesn't occur to them, or they haven't read enough posts to be able to make such a decision. Or because they don't have a well-developed sense of humor and/or just take EVERYTHING very seriously.
I think people naturally take some of the topics you choose to lampoon very seriously. People rarely think bashing their belief system is funny. If something offends, why continue to do it?
You also have a tendency to bait the very people who don't get what you're doing. It can be amusing to watch... and damned annoying to be the target. ;) (Bait may not be the right word, but it's all I can come up with.) There's a part of me that does enjoy watching someone's flawed argument (or in one case, behavior) turned back against them. I'm sure it comes from the same part that roots for the hungry reptile everytime I see that Crocodile Hunter guy on tv. :)
I've gotten caught by other people's satire before. (In my defense, it wasn't a statement that was clearly in contradiction to the person's viewpoints). I don't think it is a bad thing to get tripped up occasionally. It reminds me to spend more time thinking about what people write, what they mean, and what they are thinking.
I agree that shaking people up and exposing them to an alternative worldview is a good thing. I read AlterNet and Ann Coulter on a regular basis for that precise reason. :)
Jon
Le Blog: http://zarq.livejournal.com
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