Re: Sigh

From: aelarsen_at_facstaff.wisc.edu
Date: Thu, 24 Feb 2000 13:58:03 -0600


>From: "Gian Gero" <giangero_at_hotmail.com>
>Subject: Sigh
>
>I did it.
>I gave life to Ilav because I needed him, I have killed him now.
>
>I apologize if my using a Mask (I love topics=Ilav Topix) offended some of
>you (I hope not the whole of you). I don't know if I would use this trick
>again, in the same circumstances, but I know that I am ready to quit my
>posting _and_ subscription to the digest again.

        I, for one, hope you don't quit.

>Someone, who is crytical about what I did, wrote me:
>
><<The Glorantha Digest is a *community*. It has a few, simple, written
>rules -- and you are deliberately breaking one of these. It also has a few,
>simple unwritten rules -- and the list owner informed you when your request
>for personal abuse stepped over the line. The purpose of all these rules is
>to preserve the community. The purpose of the list owner's intervention was
>to preserve the community. Your actions are foolish, short-sighted and
>wrong.
>They are also damaging to the Digest as a community.>>

        If someone out there wants to attack Gian, they could at least have the honesty to say what it was that he did to offend them.

       If the offense he committed was using a pseudonym, he's hardly alone in the Internet community in doing it. On this list alone we have TTrotsky, Terra Incognita, and someone named Sergi (which I assume is a pseudonym). These people have every right to use those monickers if they choose to, and Gian has a right to Ilav if he wants it. He has not attempted to manipulate or deceive the list by using it. I've seen lists where people used pseudonyms to cover malicious activity, and nothing Gian has done comes close to it.

>I don't think that breaking a written rule means always that you are a
>criminal. I don't think that I broke the written rule of not using
>pseudonyms because I want to damage you or this Digest or Glorantha.
>I did because I wanted to say you: beware.
>
>All of your efforts in enforcing rules (both written and unwritten ones) can
>damage this Digest _and_ Glorantha, in the same time.
>Because the majority, IMO, of the unwritten rules concern human
>relationship, the way of expressing ideas and emotions and the cultural and
>linguistical references which back and convey these concepts.
>
>This kind of things are not the same in Iceland and in Sicily, in Tibet or
>on the Appalachians (sp?).
>Are you aware of this? From the tone of the Digesters and from their
>identity and manifest english-speaking (or Anglo-Saxon) belonging, I say no.
>Or not in the right degree, at least.

        A very good point. My unwritten rules are probably quite different from everyone else's. That's why we use written rules. As far as I know, Gian/Ilav has not violated any of those.

>This is my challenge: prove to me that I am wrong and I will be the first to
>rejoice because then the "community" of the Glorantha Digest will become (or
>will have ever been) a real and decent community. Do not prove and I will
>not consider the Digest deserves me and my efforts.

        Given the sort of attacks you're experiencing, I'm not sure the list does deserve you. But I hope you stay nonetheless.

>BTW What's a wanker or a prat? I have been called both, but I don't know the
>exact meaning of these words, even if I am aware of the tone behind them.

        Wow. Now Gian's unnamed opponent is just being childish. Will the person responsible for these attacks please make him/herself known? I'd like to know how you think you can justify your actions. In what way has he damaged the list or acted with malice against it?

        Honestly, what difference does it make how he signs himself? The purpose of this list is for people who enjoy Glorantha to discuss the subject, trade ideas, and share info. What I call myself as I do it is totally unimportant.

Andrew E. Larsen


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