Re: presumptuous
Tim O'Connor (tim@roughdraft.org)
Tue, 13 Jan 1998 19:04:36 -0500
> Why are people so reluctant to identify themselves
> on Bananafish ? It carries the danger of unjustifiable
> assumptions.
I think (frustrating as it sometimes is) that people try to construct an
identity that they present to the list. So, it's not always possible to
pin down details about sex or race or ethnicity.
> I also wonder how you can be so sure of my ignorance
> of Japanese culture ? You haven't, after all, examined
> my vast assemblage of Utamaro prints nor perused
> my collection of personal haiku, have you ?
As I'm sure you know, there's a terribly counterproductive tendency online
for people to make unwarranted leaps of faith. All we can do is
(amicably!) ask the person to clarify some ambiguous statement. Other than
that, we rarely do anything more than guess at meanings and motivations.
Sometimes the surprises have been pleasant; rarely have they been anything
I regret. They've never been overtly hostile.
I hope that this place is a kind of sanctuary for you, and that you call
the bluff of people who try to get by unchallenged. At best, you'll help
one person gain a better self-understanding. At worst, you'll touch off a
storm of discussion -- which is something we've survived before and will
survive again.
--tim o'connor