Posted by Atticus on September 2, 2004, at 11:46:29
In reply to Re: Hey Atticus what do you think of....., posted by Dr. Bob on September 2, 2004, at 2:01:43
The real question here is: Are the rules that you've established themselves fair? Are your rules for Psycho-Babble holy dogma that can't be more finely tuned, that can't have caveats built into them that take into account the intentions of the rule-breaker? Is there a doctrine of Dr. Bob infallibility that I missed when I perused the FAQ? In real life courts, of course, these caveats are called mitigating circumstances, and on a case-by-case basis, thousands of judges at every level across the United States incorporate them into their decisions every day court is in session. Would it be possible for you to sit down with your peers at the University of Chicago and rethink your existing rulebook? I look and see a poster who came onto this site hurling insults left and right at Babblers, and he's prevented from posting for one week. And then I turn around and see someone who was trying to do a good deed and help unite two digital lovers, and she's blocked for 32 weeks. It strikes me as reminscent of the "Three strikes, you're out" laws in certain states, where murders may walk in two and a half years, but an addict caught for the third time with illicit drugs may be facing a life sentence. You're a scientist; where's the logic, the common sense in this way of thinking? YOU, Bob, YOU decide if the rules are jiggered in such a way that an honest man who steals bread for his family, a Jean Valjean, may not deserve as harsh a punishment as another thief. It's basically a matter of creating a more complex and flexible rule framework that allows critical thinking and compassion to be applied in such cases. I've seen your CV; surely you're up to this challenge. Babble isn't so riddled with "lawbreakers" that this would be an impossible task. All I can say is that I felt hurt all over again by what I perceived as the flippant tone of your post that preceded this one; you knew when you wrote those words how deeply upset I was by all of this. How could you take the approach you did? Right now, I just feel profoundly depressed and disgusted with the way these two recent situations on Social were handled. If you're going to be the one to lay down the law around here, then I think it's only fair to ask you to consider if the "laws" that govern Babble-World could do with a revamp. And by the way, if you address me in the future, Please Be Civil. Atticus
poster:Atticus
thread:385035
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040830/msgs/385673.html