From: esj@cs.brown.edu (Eugene Santos Jr.)
Subject: Re: The use of profanity
Organization: Brown University Department of Computer Science
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 15:58:51 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.232356.10236@wixer.cactus.org> rhodesia@wixer.cactus.org (Felix S. Gallo) writes:
>adc@tardis.msu.edu writes:
>>In article 721334963@mowgli, josh@cqs.washington.edu (Josh Hayes) writes:
>>>
>>> Don't accuse me of being that shallow unless you know me. 
>>
>>I've always been taught to judge people by their actions, not by what
>>they claim to be.  People accuse you because of your actions and
>>postings on the net, which in alot of people's estimations have
>>consistently been immature.  If you choose to use profanity then you
>>must take the responsibilty of your actions; alot of people will think
>>you're an immature fool.
>
>As opposed to just an illiterate fool? (cf. "alot", "responsibilty")
>
>Speaking for the majority of people who read and post to this newsgroup,
>Alan D. Cabrera, I don't know who the "people" are who "accuse" Josh
>of being shallow, and I don't know who the "people" are who will --
>in your estimation -- condemn John en masse for being immature.

Unfortunately, there is a definite correlation between maturity and 
ones tendency towards "escapism" from reality. The "unfortunate" part
arises because its an inverse correlation. (This obvious statement is
here for the benefit of the majority of readers yet to have acquired
this revelation.) Netrek is escapism in nearly the purest sense of the
word. Furthermore, it's an escapism without bounds much like heroine
addiction.

It's easy to forgive the immaturity of almost all the people in the
netrek community since they are often undergrads at various universities
and colleges. You are still young and have time yet to learn and grow.
Furthermore, the demands of responsibility and maturity are much easier
to (or at least much clearer) to satisfy at this time in your lives.
Hence, it's quite understandable for Felix to react in the manner of
his post. I'm glad Felix placed "people" in quotes. His classification
scheme at this stage is appropriate to his group, but in reality,
the classification should be "pre-adults" or "cambrian-adults"
if the "people" emotionally object to the first term.

Having isolated this group out from the netrek community, the remaining
people like Josh, are somewhat less reconciliable to society. It's
very distressing that even having trained through a doctorates degree,
his level of maturity remains stagnant from his undergrad days. Others
like him or worse clearly show the "damage" that netrek can cause
with its extreme "escapism".

I hope the intent of this post will serve the netrek players well.
It's an obvious warning to the dangers of escapism in netrek. I also
hope that it provides "revelation" even if only minutely. It's better
to deal with escapism early so we can have a society of mature and
responsible adults.

>
>>Alan Cabrera				internet:  adc@tardis.cl.msu.edu
>-- 
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Felix Sebastian Gallo                              rhodesia@wixer.cactus.org
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------












Ensign "smileys are for the unsophisticated reader" Seth

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