From: gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart)
Subject: Re: t-- Re: t// Re: REC.ORG.MENSA TODAY
Organization: AT&T
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 18:40:47 GMT

In article <1992Oct2.081309.13075@tfs.com> ecsd@tfs.com (Eric C. S. Dynamic) writes:
>gmark@cbnewse.cb.att.com (gilbert.m.stewart) writes:
>
>(long thing to Tai(Jr?))
>
>Hmm. GMS, you make some valid points, but there are a few things I take
>exception to. We don't know who Tai is, we don't know how old he is.

Oh, don't misunderstand me, Eric.  I'm the first to admit that I
am sarcastic a larger amount of the time than most, but I am perfectly
serious about my guesses regarding Scott.  I don't like to engage in
any kind of debate unless I'm almost completely positive about my
position and the related facts.  This letter to Scott was my
opinion and conjecture as to what could cause someone to post in
the fashion he has.  I've had these suspicions and possibilities
rattling around for a long time, and based upon the psychiatry
aspects and what I've seen of other people who were mentally retarded
or otherwise unstable or for that matter, merely very upset about
something or very young, it's the suspicion I've had.

>
>I am the last person to correct someone else for being childish, because
>that's me, I'm childish. I'm 36, with the emotional psychology of someone
>much younger. That turns out to be a gift, *now* that I've learned better

No, nothing wrong with being or feeling child-like, but there are
kids that misbehave in an injurious or mean-spirited way and those that
don't.  

>how to cope with it and reduce its imapct on other people. But there's
>something impolite about suggesting he seek 'help' - as it there were

As I said, this was not intended to be a flame, but my post was a mere
outlet of some very real suspicions I have.  I've lived in cities where
emotionally disturbed people roamed around and had a perfect right to
do so.  But it was very unpleasant being around them, and very sad to
know that they would probably stay there suffering or causing others
to suffer if nothing is said about it.  I think that if this is the
case with Scott, then maybe someone who is privy to his situation
will see my post and give it some thought.  I don't expect Scott
to do much more than post some kind of "I know you are but what am
I" kind of thing, but who know?  Frankly, the whole thing spooks
me like the way you feel when you see the truly insane behave --
you don't have a frame of reference to understand or predict what
they will say or do or how they will react.  One person e-mailed
me recently that it spooked them that they could actually meet
Scott and not know they were talking to someone who was incapable
of rational thought.  This is serious stuff.
>anything abnormal about being fucked up one way or another in the emotional

>society has much of a clue about how to integrate and socialize people,
>and most people don't conform to society's norms. So if Tai is "acting out",
>fine - let him. And let him see the reactions he gets. I did this very thing.
>I went into soc.bi and immediately started a *huge* row and got bashed, and
>bashed, and misunderstood, and had things "put in my mouth" and then got called
>for them. I have some bitter feelings because very few people came to my side
>openly in that group, and I knew that people were deliberately misunderstanding
>me out of their emotional reaction to me. But by then, they'd gone mostly
>deaf. So I'll go back there, but with changed attitudes and a different
>approach. *Surprise*! I learned from what happened to me. Let Tai learn too.
>I invited Tai to come forward to explain himself - there's no reason why he
>can't talk about himself and his conditions. This will give us a clearer
>picture of who he is, and how we might come to treat him. How old is he?
>What does he do? Is he in school? Why is he angry with standardized tests?
>What is his race and culture? Is he even a he? Is Dr. Tai really his father?
>We don't know these things, and it would help.

Keep in mind you're new here.   Why don't you ask him? :-)  <--NOTE
RARE GMS SMILEY -- YOU JUST KNOW I'M LAUGHING NOW.

>
>What if by chance, Tai is a great deal younger than he appears to be?
>This would explain a lot of his 'misbehavior'. Given Dr. Tai's writing,
>and Tai's writings, somehow this image comes to mind. What if Tai is like

Yeah.  What if.  (See?  You're getting the same impressions!)
-
>me, and is emotionally stunted? I'd like to make room to accept him around
>this - out of my memory and the Golden Rule principle. What he needs to see
>is that he *does* get positive feedback for things positively done - no
>better way to encourage his behavior than to reward it where appropriate.

Folks already do that, Eric.  Keep reading.
>
>So ask him to come forward. He's brave enough to be here, bashed & flamed
>as he is. I think the references to whether he has legitimate access to the
>equipment he uses are off the mark. He's here, I won't question how. More

No, I'm completely serious.  If you have ever spent more than a week
in a highschool CS class, you would realize how on the mark this
possibility is.  And again, this is no joke.  Kids seem to think they
will only face a spanking.  Once you pass 16, you are fair game for
having your life ruined by a "prank".

>power to him. I believe in the free flow of information and free access to
>means of communication, so he's using his access, so be it. His communication
>is a tool which he can sharpen only by using it. Help, don't hinder, is the
>byword of the Aquarian Age.

Eric, you're a nice guy, but either you didn't completely read my post,
or your feeder's screwed up.  Lots of what you say is in the original
post.
>
>*sigh*
>Ah well. Another missive from Mr. Venus/Pisces/12th-house.

Well, sure.  'Course.  I knew that.

>-ecsd

BTW, we're all probably curious as to what the heck you did
to the folks on soc.bi to get them steamed.  Stop teasing us
with these references to your escapades and life and then backing out!

Later.


GMS
Newsgroups: rec.org.mensa