Date: Wed, 08 Jan 1997 09:40:56 -0800
From: Brenda
To: Ahuva 
Subject: RE: Paper on AGM


Hi Ahuva...

This is really a test to see if you receive this.  I didn't know this was   
happening until I started receiving email, which was sent to all AGMers.   
 Everything I thought of was covered by someone else, so I didn't   
respond.  In fact, I don't even know what the outcome was.

The one question I can answer is the first one.
   

 -why is the anti flame rule so important to AGM?  How is the AGM   
community
shaped so that flaming is considered a serious offense? (or as serious as
they come in a newsgroup...)

The main reason I decided to stay with AGM was the no flaming rule.  I   
had been lurking in some other groups and found it really disturbing that   
some people were so eager to call another an asshole, they sometimes   
didn't even address what had been written.  The hostility was a little   
frightning.  I unsubscribed to a lot of groups because they were full of   
flamers.

Flaming doesn't allow for serious exchange of ideas and thoughts. I think   
it's a province of stupid people who don't understand what they are   
reading and strike out at the writer. Their self-esteem is so low in real   
life, that perhaps flaming is the only way they can feel good for   
themselves.  I kind of feel sorry for them.

I believe AGM was formed to come to a place and just be silly.  There was   
such joy in the first posts I read that I HAD to become a member.  I   
think after years of getting to know each other AGM has become kind of a   
family.  Having a flame war go on is like being in the midst of a real   
war.  It's ugly, stupid, and can, sometimes, suck the morale out of the   
group.  So, it was good that there was a collected effort to put a stop   
to it.

I hope this helps, sweetie.  If you get this let me know.  If I get a   
'non deliverable mail' notice, I will send this to Uvi and have her   
forward it to you.

BTW, thanks for that great card.  It was a little sticky, and really   
sweet of you two.

Big hugs to you from Peter and always from me.

Brenda


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