Date: Mon, 21 Apr 1997 20:28:36 -0500
From: Yoshie Furuhashi <Furuhashi.1-AT-osu.edu>
Subject: Re: M-I: Complaint about cross posting Ebert thread


Since Chris's initial concern was raised with regard to Bob's forwarding my
M-Int post to M-G, I feel obliged to comment on what I think of the
practice of cross-posting.

I am not against cross-posting in general, and I do not think that what Bob
did with my M-Int post deserves suspension, not to mention expulsion, from
this list. Moreover, he has not been the only cross-poster, and I think it
is a bad idea to create a double-standard.

As to Chris's criticism of Bob's "language full of macho posturing," I
don't think that Bob's language is beyond reproach; however, I must say
that during my relatively brief experience on this list, I have seen worse
stuff. IMHO, there are very few people on this list who stick to comradely
language at all times.

Suggesting that the book one has not read be used for toilet paper is
certainly out of place, and I urge Bob to refrain from such a hasty
judgement. But even here, I ask people to distinguish scatological language
>from expressions of violence and misogyny. A while ago, some people on the
list were using clear examples of the latter; as I remember, Bob has only
used the former and never the latter.

Now what I said so far does not mean that I regard Bob's (or anybody
else's) practice of cross-posting as a good thing. In fact, the manner in
which Bob has cross-posted makes me think that he is wasting his time and
energy as well as everybody else's.

For a cross-posting to become interesting and worthwhile, I think that one
needs to create a *linkage* between the forwarded post and the ongoing
discussions on the list to which one forwards it. Otherwise, it will be
most likely regarded as "the Thing from the Outer Space," because outside
the immediate contexts of debates, conversations, and polemics, most posts
do not make much sense and might look strange or even absurd.

Yoshie




     --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---