Emotional cynics and cynical emotionalism

[brownfld@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (Kenneth R Brownfield)]

The following was created and performed by Steve VanDevender:
|I for one am getting sick to death of this "Emotionals vs.
|Cynics" business.  If you feebs would quit baiting each other the
|rest of us would have a much more enjoyable Gaffa.

     :-)  The "you" and "rest of us" are a bit fuzzy, but good enough.

|I'm not going to join the WarmRoom mailing list if the
|moderator's expressed intent is to prevent certain people from
|joining or to kick off people that don't meet his standards of
|niceness.

     I don't think that's what's happening, although we'd have to ask Jorn
before assuming anything.

|   As some of you may have already guessed, I am just as
|disenchanted with what the so-called "Emotionals" have been
|posting lately as with what the so-called "Cynics" have been
|posting.  I also suspect that if this same sort of pompousness
|showed up in the WarmRoom mailing list I would promptly get
|kicked off for speaking my mind, because I am not the kind of
|person who is always sweet and cheery and never pisses people
|off.

     Good point.  No one is "always..." etc.  That's not the basis for
the group.  Ask Jorn if he's refusing anyone, I don't know.  I'm glad
you're expressing opinion, it's refreshing.  I agree.  I'd love for
WarmRoom to be obsolete, but there's no harm in creating a mailing list.
Period.  He made it, it's his rules.  No censorship, no fascism (a snort
to those who brought that bag of ripe onions up,) just "his" mailing list.
     Obviously, you disagree with the reason, and that's great.  But it
can't be taken to the extreme of "should" or "can".

|     cynical: doubting the sincerity and goodness of others

     No, that's bending it in a subtle but important way.  It's doubting the
existence of _all_ human kindness, fuzziness, pleasure, not a person or
persons in particular.  That's insensitivity.  You can call _that_ whatever
pleases the hypothetical "you," but it changes nothing.

|By this measure, Jorn is also a cynic.  However much I may

     You're right, but your ruler is broken.  Jorn is _far_ from a cynic,
and until everyone knows what the definition is, and stops using it as an
excuse to find fault in others, we'll all be a fun-loving part of
rec.music.flame.
     Everyone should be completely familiar with the definitions of sarcasm
and cynicism before we hold them up as weapons or shields.

|disagree with folks like Richard and Cynthia, there is no doubt
|that they are sincere.

     Yeah, that's kinda the point.  They're "caught up" in the "I can do
anything I want" stage, which is true.  They're sincere, but at least Cynthia
appears to want to be some kind of humorful sarcastic demigoddess.  No
problem, but she wants what is tearing this group apart:  attention at the
loss of others.
     The whole point is that everyone I think wants a group that they can
learn from and enjoy.  A lot of the content recently can be found in eight-
grade PE classes and slang dictionaries.  If humans didn't have the skill
of tact, we'd all have beaten the crap out of each other millions of years
ago.
     Why change it now?
     This whole spittoon is based on one problem.  It's not differences in
opinion, which should obviously be expected, but a problem of living with
each other without the stupid innuendo.
     Give everyone the benefit of the doubt!  Use email for person to person
contact.  The purpose of this group is _not_ to transmit vendettas.  There
is no benefit of telling (in the predominantly weak and lame ways) someone
off in front of a hundred people.  It seems so hard, but the entire problem
is so simple.
     If anyone wants to do flaming in this group to get attention, I would
certainly feel that behavior of that type is not necessary.  If anyone wants
to flame on hounds, send it to me instead.  I'd gladly put up with all the
worthless flames to rid gaffa of them.
     It's everyone's responsibility.  Pointing fingers can put out eyes.

|Re: Rocket Man

[...good stuff deleted...]

|I have finally gotten around to listening to _Lionheart_ and my
|main impression is "What's so bad about it?"  It fits quite well
|into the progression of her albums, with both the charming
|naivete of TKI and hints of the weirdness to come.

     I agree.  Good way of putting it.
-- 
 
Mail only & info via finger:  KT@uiuc.edu  |            Ken.
This composition is 100% personal opinion. |  brownfld@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu