From: yewhan@tartarus.uwa.edu.au (Yew Han Hee)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: Racial Harmony: Where are we heading?
Date: 6 Nov 1992 15:40:41 GMT
Organization: University of Western Australia
NNTP-Posting-Host: tartarus.uwa.edu.au
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

Mee Teng (mlt@gdwb.oz.au) wrote:
: yewhan@tartarus.uwa.edu.au (Yew Han Hee) writes:
: 
: >Sinar Matahari (akm20474@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu) wrote:
: >:    I have read many articles pertaining to this subject, but each time it 
: >:    seems that there are no definitive answer. I saw a lot of flaming, blaming,
: >:    twisting facts, finger pointing, bashing - many other bad things - and 
: >:    once in a while worthy suggestions that went unnoticed.
: 
: >I agree with you, there are even cases where people trying to fight within
: >themself (through words), just for a some trivial pleasure. Flaming,
: >blaming, and all this negative actions will never solve the problems (if it
: >is really exist), just will turn the bad to worse, and worse to worst!
: >Some of the readers enjoy observing the discussion/argument, and when they
: >find some issue they can make jokes of, just put in some comments, and 
: >possibly, the other party will feel offensive, ..., it just create another
: >battle instead of solving the original problem.
: 
: I appreciate both of your noble suggestions (no flame). Indeed this
: world would be a better place to live in if everyone thinks along
: the similar line (no flame).
: 
: Nevertheless this is far from an ideal world, ideal society.
: We should therefore envisage people(s) of all sorts of characters,
: mentality, etc. in this net too. Educated ? Intellectual ? may be.
: But those do not necessary mould the temperament, the character etc
: of a person. Knowledge does not prevent a person from committing
: sins, neither will it change a person's sinful nature. On the 
: other hand, knowledge can be misused even. Therefore, the fact that
: most if not all the people in this net are learned (in a way at least)
: does not really mean a lot, does not necessary mean that there will
: be no flames, no offensive language will be used.
: 
Yes, different people has different thought, different characteristics,
and for me, this is due to the family education, as well as the social 
education. The knowledge you mentioned above, I think is those acadamical
knowledge, like commerce, science, etc., and personally, I do agree they
really don't provide much "constructive" development in the field of
humanity. Be a good teacher, teach a "right" knowledge, is a very difficult
task, and most people can't achieve this goal.  Just on your above point,
is everybody has a sinful nature?? I doubt so... Offensive language can
always be prevented to use in order to tell/"teach" the other party what
you think he/she is "wrong" (instead of "sin"). 

Flaming argument, is one of the most inconstructive thing.

: With your mind prepared for all these eventualities, you will not
: feel totally shocked, dismayed when you enter into this net -
: I would liken it as a parliamentary seating where they too
: throw abuses & insults at each other. If we are not worst than
: them I think we should be doing pretty well. For all who takes
: things to hearts, who can't stand the intense heat created here 
: at times, I suggest they should come with a fire-proof 
: abestos cement underwear (or panties). :) (no flame)
: 
This is a matter of how you look at a problem, you can either make the
situation worst, by using insults to bash one and others, or try to 
find a mutual-understanding, to generate a "result", or "solution".

Let the other party know your situation, or feeling, and try to 
let her/him experience what you felt, is the best way to solve the
problem. Anger can only ruin/worsen the situation.

: Personally I think this net should be a place where everyone
: can express his views or opinions freely without fear of 
: being 'spied', or put under ISA. In this context, therefore
: if a person feels so much hatred in his heart, or so much 
: injustice being done to him, let him speak up, rather than
: let him keep that in his heart, which may explode one day
: anyway. For that matter, I am not against En. Othman
: postings (he is way on top in Singapore for the number
: of articles posted); to deny him of this 'pleasure' (could
: be his only pressure relief valve), tantamount to asking him
: to commit suicide, or he may run 'amok' & initiate a
: massacre in NTU. :)   I think we should be mature enough to 
: face up with postings like that. 
: 
It is a good idea, only free discussion can let everybody reflex 
their needs, and feeling. And I wish, everybody can also try to 
put themself into that situation, and hence "naturally" act
accordingly. A peaceful society can only be built, if everbody is
looking forward to it.

: As to whether flames would make matters worse, I don't
: think necessary so. It should make one more mature.
: For example,I personally have nothing against En. Othman
: or anyone in the net, neither do I think that our
: flames would have any negative effects on the country.
: Well, I may even call up En. Othman & say 'hello' to
: him when I drop in Singapore next time. :)
: 
: cheers.
: 
Try to think in this way, what is your current feeling when you see the 
above statement you have typed, if you are En. Othman, and somebody write
the same thing to you?

Sincerely,

-- yewhan.
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  Yew Han Hee (Yao1 Han4)            Malaysian
  University Of Western Australia    yewhan@tartarus.uwa.edu.au
  Computer Science 2nd year          Tel: +61 (09) 389 1128
  Add: 3/70, Broadway, Nedlands, 6009 Western Australia, Australia.
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