By the way....
I think this forum is an excellent microcosm for our country. We tend to disagree, and in debate we can become heated, and the divide grows. Take August and I for example. We agree on very little, if anything. We often snipe at each other. But in reading other non political threads, I wonder how we would get on in person. Maybe not too badly, I think. I'm sure this is true of a lot of us. I myself have been guilty of being intolerant of the views of some of the more right wing leaning members. I've regretted it, I've had private conversations with some of them about it, and I've avoided these forums for months on end because of it. (It can really be a very unpleasant environment sometimes...) We are naturally less polite here than we are in a public place amongst living breathing humans. I try to do better, and I avoid threads, etc. Which is actually kind of a shame. But so it is.
Now, having said that, I do NOT include Subman in the above analogy. I often wonder if he even believes what he posts. Sometimes, I highly doubt it. I think of Subman as a troll who likes to start controversial discussions, and make them into fights. He is intolerant of anyone and everyone who disagrees with his sometimes absurd opinions, and he is content that he knows more than you, no matter who you are. In my humble opinion, he is of no value to this community. I've often thought of doing the ignore thing, and maybe I will, but I'd hate to do that. Who wants to be involved in conversations with chunks of it missing? ...To summarize, healthy discussion of any issue is worthwhile. Bantering back and forth with someone as hard headed and ignorant as Subman is not.
|
