Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 08:59:13 -0800 (PST)
From: "John Sexton" <computernetworks@go.com>
Subject: Re: LF: "Discussion" and the amateur radio spirit
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
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Hi Kevin,
Here, Here!
Actually though, you seem to have been away, during a period of quite low "flak level", which regrettably seems to have returned.
My solution for what it is worth, is to rigourously prune the list before reading, removing all input from known negative sources. Unfortunately this doesn't always help, because others tend to reply to it. It can be very tempting to reply (as I also have done in the past) but IMO it is best to simply ignore it and to concentrate on enjoying the hobby. There is a lot of very good stuff and help available on the reflector.
73, John, G4CNN

-----Original Message-----
From: "Kevin Ravenhill"<hdq@btinternet.com>
To: rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org
Date: Tue Nov 20 03:28:00 PST 2001
Subject: LF: "Discussion" and the amateur radio spirit

>Greetings all,>
>Sorry if this post is a little off-topic for the list but I felt something
>needed to be said. Apologies if it sounds like a lecture, my intention was
>simply to offer some constructive criticism on the subject of list postings
>and I hope it will be seen as such.
>
>I rejoined this list very recently, after deciding to leave it many months
>ago due to what I saw as an unacceptably high level of "flaming" by one or
>two people in particular. This, coupled with an apparent reluctance on the
>part of some to accept that others may have different technical opinions to
>their own.
>
>Having received a couple of days postings since I rejoined, it has, sadly,
>become all too apparent that nothing has changed. I see that the sniping is
>still going on, and that some are still having to justify themselves in the
>face of the technical bigotry / pedantry / apparent unfriendliness of
>others. Unfortunately, this phenomenon does seem to be increasingly
>prevalent within the amateur radio "community" (I now use that term
>advisedly) in the UK in particular.
>
>Technology marches on, and with it the number of different avenues for
>exploration - all of which are equally valid, since this is meant to be a
>hobby. As such, individuals should be free to explore whatever takes their
>fancy without having to endure censure, disapproval or constraint from
>anyone else. Indeed, anyone who would seek to discourage such self-training
>and investigation does not deserve the privilege of a radio amateur licence,
>IMHO. There are many aspects of the hobby which do not interest me at all,
>but I would never seek to dissuade others from taking them up.
>
>My impression (somewhat reinforced by talking to one or two acquaintances
>who happen to be professional psychologists) is that this apparent penchant
>for sniping at others is a particularly British "disease". Our American
>friends in particular seem to suffer from it to a much lesser extent. This
>seems to be borne out by the nature of the postings to various US-based
>lists of which I am a member - even when discussions become heated, they are
>almost always carried on in a spirit of friendliness and good humour. Or
>perhaps it is just that I have missed something, or have simply failed to
>appreciate the subtleties of wit and "drier" humour in this list?
>
>Whatever happened to the spirit of amateur radio and the principle of
>accepting someone else's viewpoint or interest as valid even if not
>necessarily agreeing with it? IMO, if you can't offer constructive input to
>a particular discussion then you should not post at all. Of course, I
>realise that this post in itself may be seen as not very constructive, and
>that I have therefore immediately broken my own rule - fair enough. I did
>have reservations about posting it. Also, for that reason it will be my one
>and only post on this subject. I am happy to reply to direct emails (so long
>as they are reasonably constructive!) if anyone wants to continue this.
>
>I fully expect to get flamed by somebody for daring to say something. In
>such case it will simply reinforce my view and I will feel obliged to leave
>this list for good. Some may see this as advantageous, of course....:-)
>
>By way of some light relief, the following page is quite interesting:
>
>http://www.qsl.net/vk2zto/ExpModes/beware.htm
>
>(I put myself very definitely in the "Dreamer" category...)
>
>Best regards to all in the spirit of amateur radio,
>
>Kevin, G1HDQ.
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