JohnV
Puritan Board Post-Graduate
May I suggest something? What about a forum in which we can discuss and analyze the dynamic of a discussion board? It seems to me that some may benefit from something like that.
This is not a normal discussion venue, because there is so much that can be done that normal conversation does not allow, or that takes a great deal too much time when talking person to person. It can be narrowed to one or two threads, it can be as wide as the whole array of discussions, all in the wink of an eye or click of the mouse. There can be discussions we have no interest in; there can discussions we have a great deal of interest in; and many in between. We have a host of resources available at a click of the mouse.
We can erase and edit certain parts of what we say before we click the "Post Reply"button, something we only wish we could do in our everyday conversations, so that we wouldn't have to apologize so much for those unintened and unguarded slips. What gets printed here, and appears on your screen, is a lot more impactful because of it, and so can be taken more seriously as intended and guarded slips or slurs.
There is so much about this venue that makes it different, calling for disciplines that we may not be used to.
[edit]
I should add that this venue also makes a great place, more than any other, to ask ourselves why we are getting upset over certain things. I find that I get upset because I am being stricken exactly where I should get stricken, and I'm bucking it. When I settle down again, I find that instead of being angry I ought to be thankful.
[Edited on 10-24-2005 by JohnV]
This is not a normal discussion venue, because there is so much that can be done that normal conversation does not allow, or that takes a great deal too much time when talking person to person. It can be narrowed to one or two threads, it can be as wide as the whole array of discussions, all in the wink of an eye or click of the mouse. There can be discussions we have no interest in; there can discussions we have a great deal of interest in; and many in between. We have a host of resources available at a click of the mouse.
We can erase and edit certain parts of what we say before we click the "Post Reply"button, something we only wish we could do in our everyday conversations, so that we wouldn't have to apologize so much for those unintened and unguarded slips. What gets printed here, and appears on your screen, is a lot more impactful because of it, and so can be taken more seriously as intended and guarded slips or slurs.
There is so much about this venue that makes it different, calling for disciplines that we may not be used to.
[edit]
I should add that this venue also makes a great place, more than any other, to ask ourselves why we are getting upset over certain things. I find that I get upset because I am being stricken exactly where I should get stricken, and I'm bucking it. When I settle down again, I find that instead of being angry I ought to be thankful.
[Edited on 10-24-2005 by JohnV]