[PLUG] Conclusion to PDXLUG argument

[Jeme A Brelin]

On Thu, 22 Jan 2004, Felix Lee wrote:
> Jeme is an easy case.  you have an issue with the way he applied the
> description "totalitarian regime" to PDXLUG.  Jeme is just nutty about
> that.  this is not usually a problem.  any large, diverse group of
> people will have some that are predictably nutty about something or
> other, and people learn to deal with it.
>
> his worldview is logically consistent to him, but the statements he make
> sound absurd to many other people, because he uses words in abnormal
> ways, focusing on the semantic associations that are meaningful to him
> and ignoring the ones meaningful to others.  he ends up expending a lot
> of energy trying to explain his unconventional worldview over and over
> again, which doesn't really improve his credibility with anyone who
> doesn't already understand his worldview.
>
> and he's going to keep doing that, because cyber-anarchists do not have
> any other method for resolving disagreements.  to him, restricting free
> expression is an ultimate evil, and I'm guessing he will fight for your
> right to flame endlessly.  your attempt to annoy him enough to make him
> go away is never going to work.

I think this is a pretty darn good way of explaining this in retrospect.

I take the term "nutty" above to be meant as "peculiar" or "not like you
and me".  The respect and understanding shown in the rest of the message
clearly indicate that Felix did not intend it to be synonymous with
"crank" or "loon" or something.

I do spend a lot of energy trying to explain my views to people and, I
must say, it pays off.  Whenever anybody "gets it", after explanation or
right off, we get along swimmingly and often come to fantastic new
understanding of things together.  This doesn't mean they always agree
with my opinions, but understand my analysis and come to a common
understanding of terms.  Lots of people, though, just throw up their hands
either because they are so repulsed by what they think I'm saying that
they become mentally paralyzed or because they believe they do not have
time to listen to another person who doesn't share their narrow view.
It's a shame, but it's reality.

And you're darn right that we do not have any other method for resolving
disagreements.  The ONLY way to resolve disagreements is to talk them out
until you both understand the situation and can reach real agreement.
That might seem crazy to those out there who want to solve a problem by
picking up a gun or withholding food (essentially the same thing --
violence) or just dismissing and insulting those with whom they disagree
(essentially the same thing -- disrespect).  But it works with anyone who
takes the time and applies the intelligence and shows the respect
necessary.  Needless to say, this requires actually wanting to solve the
problem.

Y'all might be surprised to find that Cliff and I have, in fact, come to
mutual understanding off-list.  There remain a couple of tiny points of
interpretation where we differ, but that's just the spice of life... or
something.

The only real obstacle to anarchism (and I don't have any idea what a
"cyber-anarchist" is) is ego or pride.  When you can accept change (of
mind, of heart, of anything) without seeing that as an admission of
weakness, then real peace and understanding are possible.  For some
people, this requires a trust that they will not be ridiculed for showing
this supposed weakness.  Those people can be helped along by giving them
as much love and understanding back as you can possibly muster.

Tempers may flare, but respect should be always maintained and worn on
your sleeve.

Some people think that you have to show yourself as some kind of threat to
be taken seriously.  I believe it's exactly the opposite.

This has nothing to do with PLUG and I won't follow up anything on this
topic anymore on this list, but I just wanted to share and see if maybe
there aren't some kindred minds out there that might be ready to help move
in this direction.

J.
-- 
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     Jeme A Brelin
    jeme at brelin.net
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