mike wrote:
>> Material Fellow wrote in message <355DD6DD.30C1 at pacbell.net>...
> >Goodwin's law of internet newsgroups postulates that the longer a thread
> >runs the closer to unity the probability becomes that someone will
> >reduce the argument to term of "Hitler" or "Nazi"
> >
> >When that happens, Goodwin's law states that the person to introduce the
> >term be declared to be the loser.
...............
> Nazi refers to a particular historical group and is thus misused in this
> thread. If "react" replaces Nazi with fascist can he continue? I'm
> enjoying the banter.
..........................................................
Looks as if two were fooled. Goodwin's law is just a shrewd observation
from the early days of the newsgroups. While they are a forum of useful
exchange of ideas, they can become a forum of spread of mere propaganda
and wordsmanship.
The way it is usually employed is to call a bit of a break in a tense
situation, and everyone usually knows that it is a humerous but well
proven method to call for some verbal cool-down.
Well, except for perhaps yourself and our now infamous "React", who
obviously reacted and over reacted. Kind of flipped out. Really
astounded me at first, but it revealed the lack of depth.
The book "Cheap Psychological Tricks" advocates watching a talk show
when you feel depressed. The reason it works is because after a few
minutes, most people will conclude that there really are other people to
whom they may feel superior -- those on the talk show.
Jerry Springer (and National Inquirer) represent media filled with
degrading information and or behavior that are guaranteed to "give you a
boost" of superiority.
React certainly fills the newsgroup need for this form of excitement.
I have no control of this newsgroup at all, so asking me if React uses
one term or another so he can go on has no meaning. Kind of sorry to
catch a lurker with this ploy, because you only read and enjoyed, till
now.
>> BTW: Are you suggesting that no discussion could ever exist where a
> comparison to Nazis or Hitler is accurate and therefore appropriate? What
> about comparisons to Whigs or maybe Caesar? Just curious about the "rules".
> mike
This kind of confirms that you were taken in again. Sorry. Rules are
those generally accepted as "Netiquitte", and they are basically good
taste. We have no real "good taste" cops, except for usually self
respect.
If you like the "Jerry Springer" newsgroup show, why don't you grab a
chair and hit somebody? That makes you feel better than just lurking.
--
I use stealth Java in my sig file.
It's there, but no one can detect it.
