Since I’ve been a bit distressed at some of the situation here, along with the influx of people who manage to translate one or two simple ideas into hundreds and hundreds of words of babble, I’ve not bothered posting recently.
When I saw a mention of a similar forum in the summer issue of Free Mind, an American Humanist Association publication, I was delighted and tried to sign on to tumblr. I’ll never again complain about our website because that was the dumbest, most impossible to navigate website I’ve ever seen.
All I ask is that those of you who happen to be fast typists write your comments offline, then go through and remove all the excess, repetitive, unnecessary stuff before you post them.
Occam
Lol. When I see book length posts, I just skip them. The OP is supposed to engender discussion, it shouldn’t be a dissertation.
I’ll gladly second that Asanta. Surely there’s a site for bloviating. Whatever happened to Occam’s Razor?
Cap’t Jack
I agree with all the above. Long posts are bad enough, but they’re even worse with no paragraph breaks. I will not bother trying to read a wall of gray text.
This form is a real helpful learning experience for me. As Occam says “translate one or two simple ideas into hundreds and hundreds of words of babble", it is not as easy as it sounds to not get hook on the back and forth BS of personal feelings in posting. I am one of those that have got caught up in long wording that went no where.
After Occam posted, I was betting to myself on whom and what type of response would post. I won.
Asanta, who always brings a short and good new thinking of the subject and point of view. Cap’t Jack who always brings reason as solid as rock, and DarronS who is all science and willing to cobbler you if you go against science.
Thanks guys, you make CFI what it is.
Lol. When I see book length posts, I just skip them. The OP is supposed to engender discussion, it shouldn't be a dissertation.I agree. If a person can't get his thoughts into a short paragraph or two, it's an indication that he's a poor thinker and it isn't worth plowing through. When somebody writes long posts it's a good sign that it sn't worth reading. I skip them, too. LOis
That’s what Twitter’s for.
You limit the way people speak, you limit your ability to complain if you’re misunderstood. I make no apologies for longer explanations. I too chose to ignore some when I want to. It doesn’t invalidate what they have to say. And my freedom to do either doesn’t make me any more or less intelligent. Obviously, some of you have a problem with me on an emotional level. … so much so that you created a thread that cowardly insinuates such disgust towards me through your innuendo (Sorry Mike, this wasn’t about you.)
If you want to be read, so that a discussion can develop, it is surely advantageous to express your thoughts clear and succinct.
That will often be longer than a tweet, but surely shorter than an essay. For essays one can start a blog. Under some minimal conditions, the administrators will allow one to post a link.
Obviously, some of you have a problem with me on an emotional level. ... so much so that you created a thread that cowardly insinuates such disgust towards me through your innuendoYou are but one of the offenders, Scott. I have no problem with you emotionally. I believe you are projecting here.
That's what Twitter's for. You limit the way people speak, you limit your ability to complain if you're misunderstood. I make no apologies for longer explanations. I too chose to ignore some when I want to. It doesn't invalidate what they have to say. And my freedom to do either doesn't make me any more or less intelligent. Obviously, some of you have a problem with me on an emotional level. ... so much so that you created a thread that cowardly insinuates such disgust towards me through your innuendo (Sorry Mike, this wasn't about you.)I hadn't noticed that the complaint referred to you or anyone else in particular. Guilty conscience?
Obviously, some of you have a problem with me on an emotional level. ... so much so that you created a thread that cowardly insinuates such disgust towards me through your innuendoYou are but one of the offenders, Scott. I have no problem with you emotionally. I believe you are projecting here. No, you offend those who don't humor your sense of etiquette. Instead of complaining about people's methods of communication and forcing others to conform to your preferences, wouldn't it be easier if you just simply chose to skip those lengthy posts you don't like instead of insulting them? There are others who like to write at length. It's none of your business how they should behave.
If you don’t care whether people read your posts then go ahead and wax lengthily. I will give you credit for using paragraphs.
I certainly agree with your comment, Scott. After reading through some of your earlier posts I realized that the same points could have been made, even more clearly, in less than half the words. Since then I don’t bother reading your posts. Unfortunately, as a moderator I do have to skim through them very quickly to look for infractions, but that’s all I do.
Occam
I'll gladly second that Asanta. Surely there's a site for bloviating. Whatever happened to Occam's Razor? Cap't JackUnfortunately there are countless sites for bloviating. They're called discussion groups. Maybe we should start an Ockham's Razor group. I fear, however that bloviating even on such a site would soon ensue. Bloviators are naturally attracted to discussion groups. Maybe a group that allows only a certain length of post, something like Twitter but maybe 300 characters. Lois
Unfortunately there are countless sites for bloviating. They’re called discussion groups. Maybe we should start an Ockham’s Razor group. I fear, however that bloviating even on such a site would soon ensue. Bloviators are naturally attracted to discussion groups. Maybe a group that allows only a certain length of post, something like Twitter but maybe 300 characters.Honestly Lois, I thought that this was the forum for abbreviated comments but lately, as Darron terms them, "walls of grey" have been appearing. Doug used to chastise posters for that. It seems to happen when egos get entangled in the responses and the fight is on, and on, and on. I really have no problem when people defend a concept and present sites that bolster their contentions as this saves the member from posting a polemic or scientific paper. If I want to read that much text IMO I'll access the site or order an E-book. Actually I've learned more from those whose posts are clear, consise and relatively brief, and we have a vast number of them, yourself included. Cap't Jack
Communication is just as much an art and requires practice in order for people to become more effective. It is more often truer that shorter comments lack sufficient clarity to express a person’s ideas. Because audiences vary, the popular preference for shorter commenting is only due to the obscurity and abstracting that occurs. The more abstract and obscure the words are invites the listener or reader to interpret things according to their own particular understanding. They “fill in the gaps” so to speak in order to force meaning to something that relates to them directly.
This is why many pop artists have spit in the faces of their own fan base. Pink Floyd exemplified this even while their very lyrics pointed this out, for example.
In the Flesh (Pink Floyd, The Wall)
“So yah, thought yah, might like to go to the show…
To feel the warm thrill of confusion – that space-cadet glow?
I’ve got some bad news for you sunshine,
Pink isn’t well, he stayed back at the hotel.
And they sent us along as a surrogate band…
We’re going to find out where you fans really stand!
Are there any queers in the theatre tonight?
Get 'em up against the wall.
Now there’s one in the spotlight, he don’t look right to me
Get him up against the wall.
Now that one looks Jewish, and that one’s a coon
Who let all this riff raff into the room?
There’s one smoking a joint,
And another one with spots!
If I had my way, I’d have them all shot!”
Edit: See Pink Floyd in the flesh? - YouTube for the video from the movie, The Wall.
That's what Twitter's for. You limit the way people speak, you limit your ability to complain if you're misunderstood. I make no apologies for longer explanations. I too chose to ignore some when I want to. It doesn't invalidate what they have to say. And my freedom to do either doesn't make me any more or less intelligent.I happen to strongly agree with these points, that Scott made as well as others in addition to the "quote." If you want to bleep 140 characters or less and/or tie in a number of web links; that you would rather have other people read, then speak your own mind or post your own opening opinion on the topic within your original post, then a forum is not the place for you. A forum is a place for thoughts, ideas, and discussions without limitations, free speech ~right! While I am new here, I am not new to forums of any form or topic. I personally enjoy reading through threads where others commit their own ideas and thoughts (this is what brought me here,) rather than base ideas on what others research or by posting links and asking others how they feel about this. Mine as well have a discussion about Politics, just before you go that direction please make sure to mention whether the topic is liberal or conservative, so we can plan our responses ahead of time. I am certainly not going to apologize to anyone about what I write and if I do not add a paragraph to my post, then it is unfortunate for you to have skipped over it.
Occam:
to translate one or two simple ideas into hundreds and hundreds of words of babble,It's possible that this is the result of having to write lengthy papers while going to school. i.e. each of my sociology courses when I first went to college required a 25 page paper. :-S
That's what Twitter's for. You limit the way people speak, you limit your ability to complain if you're misunderstood. I make no apologies for longer explanations. I too chose to ignore some when I want to. It doesn't invalidate what they have to say. And my freedom to do either doesn't make me any more or less intelligent.I happen to strongly agree with these points, that Scott made as well as others in addition to the "quote." If you want to bleep 140 characters or less and/or tie in a number of web links; that you would rather have other people read, then speak your own mind or post your own opening opinion on the topic within your original post, then a forum is not the place for you. A forum is a place for thoughts, ideas, and discussions without limitations, free speech ~right! While I am new here, I am not new to forums of any form or topic. I personally enjoy reading through threads where others commit their own ideas and thoughts (this is what brought me here,) rather than base ideas on what others research or by posting links and asking others how they feel about this. Mine as well have a discussion about Politics, just before you go that direction please make sure to mention whether the topic is liberal or conservative, so we can plan our responses ahead of time. I am certainly not going to apologize to anyone about what I write and if I do not add a paragraph to my post, then it is unfortunate for you to have skipped over it. Thanks for this, Spoon.