Mike, a VERY well-written piece! <<I think the people on this list (as in almost every reasonably-sized group) are representative of society in general >>
I don't totally agree with this (a nice way of saying I disagree! ;~)); indeed, if this group was simply a microcosm of the world around me, why bother with it? Because we are a group who recognize the artistry of Joni Mitchell, we are a special lot. Like it or not, that's the case. When I told my sister that I was on a JM discussion list, her immediate response was "Oh my, I would imagine that Joni fans are people who feel things very deeply!"...and I think that was a right-on statement. I think we're much more sensitive than the world at large. The world is full of people like Paul IV, but this list is not (thankfully). That's why his blunt and callous treatment of others always stuck out like a sore thumb. So in one regard, you're correct, but as for this group parallelling the world around us, I don't think so. Maybe I just misunderstood your point on it, and like I said, I enjoyed the piece a lot! Bob NP: Laura Nyro, "Up On The Roof"
