Much That Is Hidden

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Recently I came across a blog post that stated how easy it is for misunderstandings to occur in Blogovia, and that sometimes private negotiations clear things up better than public discourse, where tangents can distract from finding a solution.

I can relate, having been involved in several such dust-ups since I started blogging, and I am inspired by several comments as well as my desire for understanding and peace to post the official MTIH blog policy/mission statement:

Welcome. This being a big old blogosphere, I'm grateful that from among millions you have happened by. I welcome all grown-ups who have the desire for intelligent discussion and humorous chat.

I am not easily offended. Realize now that unless you're my family, my friends or possibly my boss then I don't care much what you think about me, or more accurately, about what I write. You should know this is generally not a place for the thin-skinned.

That said, as blogging is part of an effort to communicate and improve ourselves through the dialectic, friends will blossom and adversaries will make themselves apparent (this is way cool). But as a recovering Kool-Aid® drinker who has been burned too many times to ever again worry what one person/clique or another thinks about what options may be facing ME, I have learned that people who respect themselves and one another are the ones from which the most can be learned.

This blog is just a tiny speck in a big old universe, so if you’re inclined to bring in ill feelings, negatively bait people or otherwise annoyingly troll someone you don’t even know, then I would prefer you move along. Blue language is liberally tolerated save in the context of ad hominem affronts toward fellow commentators, whereby it is frowned upon.

For those not inclined to comment publicly there is always my email.

Thanks,

O’ Tim
President, MTIH editorial board


P.S. - Thanks to David Rochester for offering up some basic rules that I think should be spread far and wide across the blogiverse:

1) Everyone is in fact entitled to his own opinion.

2) Personal insults don't facilitate a rational exchange of ideas, and should
probably be avoided.

3) There's not much to be gained by engaging someone in an argument who will never see your point and who chooses to be insulting, unless you get something out of descending to the two-year-old level.

4) Before taking something personally, perhaps one should take a moment to reflect upon the probable intent of the person who wrote it.

5) Freedom of speech . . . it's a wonderful thing. Let's enjoy it while we can, folks.

And the disclaimer David came up with is pretty handy (and is just fine in all CAPS, D.R.):

THE COMMENTS ABOVE WERE NOT DIRECTED AT ANYONE PERSONALLY. THEY WERE GENERATED BY SEVERAL MONTHS' WORTH OF OBSERVATION AND REFLECTION. ANY PERCEIVED RESEMBLANCE TO BLOGGERS LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.
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Labels: me, The Rules, words