Frank wrote:
Your point about Mr. Brown and the All-Stars isn't working. I think
it's tine to give it up. Kyle was a contributing member of this list.
And he quit, for reasons he clearly stated. The trolls got to be too
much for him, and for many, many others. Perhaps they shouldn't have
reacted that way; but they did. They no longer want this crap in their
inboxes and have created a full-service neighborhood listserv that is
free of it. You and I feel differently about this. But I don't see
anything immoral about wanting to scan a neighborhood forum that is free
of obvious, unrelenting malice.
Please. This kind of disingenuousness and arrogance is, to me, much
worse than any of the obvious listserv trolling that you and other
sweetbarkingcheesers find so offensive.
I said nothing abut controversy. I mentioned criticism. I specifically
meant criticism from neighbors and "internet friends" on this list
which can sting and would not affect book sales even a little.
I haven't noticed any aversion to criticism in Kyle has ever written or
said. Kyle is a pretty feisty guy who enjoys jousting. He is hardly
thin-skinned. That's why he toughed it out on UC-list for years. Neither
is Ross thin-skinned. They both hold the nasty, uncreative trolls of
UC-list in well-deserved contempt.
I might mention, both Kyle and Ross are comfortable meeting their
neighbors in the flesh. They are not devotees of faceless internet
defamation.
I also didn't mention a conspiracy, unless you can call one person
starting a mailing list a conspiracy.
Now, please stop putting words in my mouth/fingers.
But others constantly mention a conspiracy. Indeed, the idea that
"University City" is /nothing more than /a giant marketing conspiracy by
the University of Pennsylvania -- and that everything Penn wants is
intrinsically evil, except when it's cutting your paycheck -- is the
only "intellectual" topic I read on UC-list these days. This is a lazy
and shallow approach, favored largely by second-raters and fools. Most
of the real thinkers no longer post on UC-list, because they are tired
of dialoguing with these wankers. And why should they?
A pity, I think. But then, everything moves along over the course of time.
-- Tony West
