When girls don't put out!!!

[emtannie]

Letmesleep – I like your initial post, and your reply above…

I do want to respond to some of Michael’s comments…

Baron also posted in the funny section, and may have followed the OP's instructions more successfully than some who reacted to his post.

In order to link his post to the OP’s he had no choice – to assume that he did so in order to be funny is quite a stretch of assumption.

Sounds like his post isn't being judged on its own merits. Is that charitable, fair, or even rational?

In your previous post, you asked why people may take offense at a post – I gave a possible reason why people took offense. I would hope that you replied in a spirit of discussion, not in a spirit of argument. I find your questioning of rational to be interesting. When someone makes an initial assessment, that is what it is – initial – based on the few facts they have. If more facts arise that influence that initial assessment, it changes. What is rational to one, may not be rational to another, because they weight certain factors differently.

What happened to keeping an open mind until sufficient evidence is in? Isn't this forum designed to advance logical thinking and scientific method?

Again, initial assessment is in play here. If further information is provided which is relevant, of course opinions could, and should change. Given that the information is not available, decisions are made based on the information at hand… the same as when dealing with a patient – you always deal with incomplete information, and make decisions based on that.

Or he could give up on the crowd here, which sounds like what some people would prefer.

I suspect that you are making the very assumption that you accuse others of making.

Maybe I'm just in the dark ages of assessment skills, but it seems to me that a good way to begin learning what one doesn't know is to ask questions of the subject, which no one here has done.

I beg to differ… I had already asked for clarification on his blog, which at time of my prior post, there had been no response. I had also referred to that in my previous post. So to say that “no one” has done that, is incorrect.

Baron has every right to post here, as does everyone else. However, like everyone else, if he is going to post, he should be able to support and discuss his position and ideas, as you and I are doing. If he is unable, or unwilling to support his posts, then that defeats the spirit of the threads as areas of discussion and learning, and in some cases, just good entertainment.

[Michael]

you always deal with incomplete information, and make decisions based on that.

Another possibility is deliberately to make no immediate decision when no decision is immediately required, that is, to keep an open mind, which makes subsequent learning easier, more efficient, and more likely. That was the point I tried to make; thank you for helping me make it explicit.

Or he could give up on the crowd here, which sounds like what some people would prefer.

I suspect that you are making the very assumption that you accuse others of making.

Is it unreasonable to interpret hostile, profanity-laced comments as unwelcoming?

Maybe I'm just in the dark ages of assessment skills, but it seems to me that a good way to begin learning what one doesn't know is to ask questions of the subject, which no one here has done.

I beg to differ… I had already asked for clarification on his blog,

In the context of a Forum thread, "here" referred to the Forum thread. Had I realized the possibility of being misinterpreted, instead of writing "which no one here has done," I would have written "which no one has done here."

Baron has every right to post here, as does everyone else. However, like everyone else, if he is going to post, he should be able to support and discuss his position and ideas, as you and I are doing. If he is unable, or unwilling to support his posts, then that defeats the spirit of the threads as areas of discussion and learning, and in some cases, just good entertainment.

Whether he is satisfied or dismayed, or partly satisfied and partly dismayed, by the flood of violent reaction that met his post, I am not surprised that he hasn't posted again. Why should he, when no one who discusses his post on this thread has asked him on this thread for clarification? Like everyone else who has posted here, I thought his post spoke for itself. If it had pushed my buttons, and I was unsure of its meaning, I'd like to think I would have asked him to enlighten me about it. But since the dismissive tone of the responses he received showed that his critics were satisfied with their understanding, his work is done.

[firedoc5]

Where, oh where has Baron gone? I had a feeling he'd disappear quickly. I'm not even sure he's involved in EMS. Just someone coming to rattle some chains. :roll: You know the type.

[Michael]

Didn't you read the last four words of my post? :wink:

[firedoc5]

Didn't you read the last four words of my post? :wink:

Yep. You are right, Mike. But I think he would have stopped posting soon anyway, no matter how is posts were addressed. Also saw what was on his blog. Not very professional and had nothing to do with EMS.

[taylordemt]

That was very funny!!!!!!

[DwayneEMTP]

Man...one of the things that makes me crazy is not having the time to participate fully in these discussions like I'd like, though I’m not sure I’d have had a lot to add to Annie and Michael’s discussion.

Ironically the discussion between Michael and Annie reminded me of possibly the best thread ever here, which also wasn't EMS related, but was religion based.

I think, or hope at least, that one of the reasons Michael, and LetMeSleep were discouraged by the attacks as opposed to the exploration of such a ridiculous post is that attacking, by it's very nature, disallows this type of discussion. See what we might have missed simply by wallowing in self righteousness instead of benefitting from the mental exercise of the dissection?

When these things occur I think we all benefit by wondering, “How can we explore this and end up better, smarter?” Instead of, “How can I most poignantly display by indignity so that everyone can see that I am very much better than this person?”

Outstanding discussion all...

Dwayne

[emtannie]

Man...one of the things that makes me crazy is not having the time to participate fully in these discussions like I'd like, though I’m not sure I’d have had a lot to add to Annie and Michael’s discussion.

Ironically the discussion between Michael and Annie reminded me of possibly the best thread ever here, which also wasn't EMS related, but was religion based.

I think, or hope at least, that one of the reasons Michael, and LetMeSleep were discouraged by the attacks as opposed to the exploration of such a ridiculous post is that attacking, by it's very nature, disallows this type of discussion. See what we might have missed simply by wallowing in self righteousness instead of benefitting from the mental exercise of the dissection?

When these things occur I think we all benefit by wondering, “How can we explore this and end up better, smarter?” Instead of, “How can I most poignantly display by indignity so that everyone can see that I am very much better than this person?”

Outstanding discussion all...

Dwayne

Dwayne, I hope I am misunderstanding both you and Michael in thinking that you assume I am part of the "attacking" and "self-righteous indignant". At no time did I present a personal opinion of Baron's post.

Michael asked a valid question - I gave a possible answer, which I felt was an example of people making assessments in general.

Dwayne, you are right in your "how can we explore this" idea. Unfortunately, I have attempted to ask questions of the individual who was the brunt of most of this discussion, without success. I am also aware of other members who have tried to contact this member, also without success. I wonder if you and Michael have also tried to contact Baron, in order to understand this poster better, and if you have had a response. It would appear that we have met a dead end in following up on this one.

I do feel that part of the success of the forums is that people who post should be willing to support their posts, and be open-minded enough that we can challenge other's opinions and discuss it reasonably. Where the forum discussion tends to break down is when we get to the "I am right, and you are wrong, and you are an idiot for not changing your opinion" attitude, or when someone posts something which generates discussion between others, but does not return to answer questions or clarify their original post. I also feel that sometimes we forget that it is ok to agree to disagree; our EMS type A personalities tend to make us want to win all arguments sometimes. This has been a fun discussion so far!

[DwayneEMTP]

Sorry Annie, you did misunderstand, but only because I did a poor job of explaining.

My intent was to compliment your arguements in particular as well as the part it played in the smart discussion with Michael.

My apologies for the misunderstanding.

Dwayne

[Michael]

At no time did I present a personal opinion of Baron's post

Here are the expressions that appeared to me to be personal opinions of Baron's post:

Baron also makes several sweeping generalizations in his post

Generalization that are "sweeping" are faulty.

At no time did he add an emoticon or comment to show that his post was meant in jest

That reads to me like criticism of a perceived defect.

In order to link his post to the OP’s he had no choice

Except to start a spin-off thread, which has been done here before, as in "A post in the Funny Section, which can be viewed here [hyperllink inserted] said xyz. But I am posting this response in the Non-Funny Section because I want to say some serious things about the same topic, namely that a) American men are inferior to British men, women are intellectually inferior to men, c) sexual slavery is desirable, d) men should never appear to experience emotion and always appear invulnerable, and e) American men should seek coital instruction through graphic aids created by Englishmen."

– to assume that he did so in order to be funny is quite a stretch of assumption.

That reads to me like an opinion that Baron's post, if intended to be humorous, was defective by not being clearly labeled a joke.