[Terrapreta] a philosophy for TP conversation.

[jim mason]

volume is as much an issue as topic.

if the high volume (number) posters do not self censure their volume,
the list becomes overwhelming and people stop reading.  then the rest
of us are left reading only the high volume posters, ad nauseum,
saying things we mostly already know they have to say.

this severely impoverishes a list.  quality of discussion declines.
quality members that cannot follow every microbe of discussion just
give up.

off topic complaints usually mean the volume of particular individuals
is too high, and someone is being nice trying to not single out the
offenders.

i am guilty of this sin on other lists and progressively try to
moderate myself (to varying success, of course).

j




On Sun, May 25, 2008 at 10:26 AM, Sean K. Barry <sean.barry at juno.com> wrote:
> Hello TP readers,
>
> Of late there has been some discourse on this E-MAIL list about what is and
> what is not appropriate to talk about in the open forum.  Saying this
> amounts to a "topic police" has been met, also, with claims that we should
> shut up about that.
>
> Now, I would like to suggest that everyone is free to choose to read or not
> read whatever they like.  Likewise, I think that it would be unproductive to
> force a "(what this) means test" for anyone to submit a posting here.  So
> what if a posting is "off-topic" for the 'terrapretalist's three approved
> and sanctioned topical headings; 1) TP for agriculture, 2) TP for carbon
> sequestration, 3) making charcoal for use in TP?  So what, if thinking about
> TP and all it implies brings to mind some idea that is not at the front of
> the in the mind of some one else on the list?  Creative thought, at least in
> my world, often times takes a lateral approach in thinking (aka off-topic).
>
> So, I think we should welcome any comments, even "off-topic" ones.  If they
> are of interest inside the group anyone interested can continue the thread
> and talk about it, in the public forum.  The ones not interested can IGNORE
> it.  If it is not an interesting "off-topic" thread, then it can and will
> likely "die out", an uninteresting thread.
>
> But, stomping on ANYONE for making mention of a topic that is not deemed
> pertinent to the topic of TP is wholly a SUBJECTIVE action, possibly
> insulting, and probably resulting in erosion of membership.   I think this
> is true unless we want an unending series of posts like, "YOU SHUT UP", NO
> YOU SHUT UP!", "YOU SOB, WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME TO SHUT UP WHEN I TOLD YOU
> TO SHUT UP!!!"
>
> ...king "off topic" this for a while people
>
> Regards,
>
> SKB