Posted by so on May 23, 2005, at 23:10:35
In reply to Re: Ok, » so, posted by Dinah on May 23, 2005, at 21:47:01
> I think I understand your shorter posts best.
Well of course. Easier to shovel a wheelbarrow full than a truckful.
> >
> But why can't he give that?Communication is a multi-party affair. People here are somewhat articulate, but his peers might be best at explaining perspectives here to him in terms he understands. Sort of like the difference in having a native-born speaker or an English-as-second-language guide in a foreign land - the native English speaker might more readily speak in terms you will understand. And you make the same point well enough in the next sentence...
> Or others who understand? Not that I don't see outside input as helpful at times. I really like it when he has Kali Munro as a guest expert. She once managed to explain something to him that I just couldn't manage to put in the right words.
>> I don't actually mind protecting hypothetical people. For example, members of some minority groups may not be posting on Babble at any given moment, but I would still wish to have their concerns given consideration.
There is some merit to it. But sometimes it seems quite extreme to me. Overall, I think the most cocnern among writers to the board does center on his views on the faith board. I would have to ask if he is too close to the matter, perhaps because of some faith he holds, so that maybe he is trying extra carefully to avoid imposing or challenging faith systems. That's another place he might benefit from a peer with a somewhat different perspective.
A lot of the tension there might also arise from people holding him to things he's said in the past that don't hold up when applied to new situations.>If we want that, I imagine we have to start our own board.
Hmmm-de-hmm-hmmm. Whistle. Nice weather we're having, huh? Business is sure slow today. I mean at the grocery store.
> > If I represent members who are particularly hard to please, vote for me, I'll represent you well, maybe.
>
> I didn't quite understand that sentence as a whole. But was that perchance a quomma? My husband has a book of grammar humor that includes quomma humor.That almost gave me stretch marks? on my vocabulary. The word isn't even listed? in two dictionaries I checked. And there is no HTML character entity for it either. Closest is ¿.
> Hmmm... I don't see that I'm out of step with Dr. Bob all that often. You may have seen it once or twice, especially on Faith Board matters.
I claim to read the archives, but really my understanding is shaped by more recent posts. I think he would run into some real challenges in justifying some of his assertions regarding language in an English department, while your essay and his on certain matters would be seen as reaching divergent conclusions, regardless your intent to explain his point of view.
>But if it happens often, I'd appreciate your pointing it out.
I hope you would eventually appreciated it. It might be bit turbulant during the take-off roll-out and climb, though.> Because I'd like to know if my belief that I have a reasonably good grasp on the civility rules, their application, Dr. Bob's habits, and sundry related issues is a delusion on my part. I don't *think* so, because Dr. Bob often validates my perceptions.
His validation on some matters doesn't confirm your coherence to his views on others. A reasonably good grasp leaves lots of room for divergent views, most likely to be expressed in longer conversations or around more contentious matters.
> Admin issues are something of an avocation of mine. But sadly I find that my attempts to help in this area often fall flat, and I am not infrequently seen as a know it all busybody who should leave the matters to Dr. Bob.
and or his peers, if I am among those by whom you are seen.
>Not that anyone says so, of course.
But YOU are somebody, and you said so.
> > i think it might have more to do with what side of the bed he gets up on, how generally bothersome a particular poster is, and a posters reputation or group standing, no matter how he tries in his own mind to be consistent.
>
> I appreciate your willingness over the course of this discussion to ascribe better motives to Dr. Bob. I think Dr. Bob is actually not particularly likely to block a poster for being objectively disruptive, often to the dismay of fellow posters. Only for violating board guidelines. He has received more flack for that than he has for blocking popular posters, I think. It's one of the reasons that I trust, respect and admire him.yeh, you mentioned that you trust him once before. Regardless his motives, if his condition -- i.e. got up on which side of the bed -- sometimes affects his performance, he might sometimes resolve that by sharing the load with peers. Then they could all justify their worst performances.
Oh, that's supposed to be your line.
> > Eliza has proven it possible to develop strict algorithms for dealing with some kinds of language.
>
> I can't say, having just "conversed" with Eliza, that I would recommend that Dr. Bob be more like it.The exercise of writing alogrythms for that software can help people classify things they might have thought they had adequately grouped, but for which they were instead relying on instinct for guidance. And this is only a few years into the study. Give it five or ten times that long. If we don't nuke ourselves, cook ourselves or otherwise loose our place here, as a species, we're about to wake up to some dramatic understandings. Probably one day after it's too late.
> But shall we agree that I won't get into your PBC if you don't critique my writing?
Er, how abou we each ask what we want of the other without making it a bargain. That leaves room for gift-giving.
> But... wouldn't it be just as good to tell him that people don't always understand the civility guidelines, to ask him to use more Please Rephrases with explanations, and to ask fellow posters who do understand (and there are many) to help out where they can.Not if part of it has to do with what side of the bed he got up on. And if it's good for posters to tell and ask those things, what harm could there be in him having peers that could share with him the same concerns?
> In fact, he really does seem to be doing that more often.
I've considered in the past month writing a protocol for measuring interventions in various health-related boards, but its just not that important to me compared to other things on my plate.
We really could slow this discusison down, if not for my 100wpm error-ridden type-talking. Does your husband know where to find you?
poster:so
thread:491889
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20050517/msgs/502066.html