What Doesn't Belong to us

[China Cat Sunflower]

LOL Mark!

I read a story about Guredjeiff (sp?). It seems he had a student who was disruptive and no one could stand. He found out that this student was planning to leave, so he took him aside quietly and paid him to stay.

Some people need a thorn in the side to provoke their creativity. Some people need to be shown the practical limits of authority. Some people deserve to be laughed at...they've worked hard for it, and they've got it coming. I'm always glad to help however I can!

Chris

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

LOL Mark!

I read a story about Guredjeiff (sp?). It seems he had a student who was disruptive and no one could stand. He found out that this student was planning to leave, so he took him aside quietly and paid him to stay.

Some people need a thorn in the side to provoke their creativity. Some people need to be shown the practical limits of authority. Some people deserve to be laughed at...they've worked hard for it, and they've got it coming. I'm always glad to help however I can!

Chris

A fellow button-pusher!
When I push people's buttons, the aim is not to insult or cause offence, it's in order to get the person either speak what's on their mind, or to get the person to examine what is in their mind.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by flowperson

Very sarcastic, which isn't my usual style. But I believed that the questions asked of me required this sort of response. If it offended anyone, I regret that, but it all fits in with my overall philosophy that life's really a joke and that the more we learn to laugh at it, the better off we are.

flow....

Offended? Not at all... I tend to not get offended...

[flowperson]

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Offended? Not at all... I tend to not get offended...

17th:

My post was not referring to any questions that you asked. I was merely playing the fool and spoofing a questioner who wished details about my real life. I've learned to fiercely protect that.

I will always land on the side of someone who has written ten novels. You're the cream in my coffee 17th.

Mark: Are you sure that your haven't been talking to my TWO ex-wives ?

peace...flow....

[cyberpi]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Which one of the following is a personal attack?

A. You're stupid.

B. You seem stupid.

Answer: A. B is merely a personal observation.

It's entirely possible, and quite easy really, to phrase anything, no matter how derogatory or perjoritive, in such a way that it is not a personal attack.

Chris

Generally I am an anti-idiotarian. I confess that I might call a public figure an idiot in private. I find that a good anti-idiotarian statement is a question devoid of hidden judgements (nothing wrong with open ones), honest, not judging an entire person by a few words, but requesting a judgement that requires thinking, and generally conveying the message that there are some things that can be chosen and some things that can't. For example, an anti-idiotarian question might be:

"Did you want me to be as smart as you?"