Has everyone on this list +entirely+ lost their sense-of-humour? Or
perspective?
I +swore+ I'd keep out of this, because intervening in list snitty-frits
simply makes things worse, but ... This beggars belief.
Peter Howard writes:
> However, if as a result of a posting I made, my mental health were
> questioned, apparently seriously, by someone qualified to have an
> informed opinion on the matter, I would be extremely upset.
This started-off with Mark lodging a post addressed to Michael Snider with
the line:
"Ok, altho I think you're in serious need of psychiatric attention, I'll
agree to disagree."
It was OBVIOUSLY a bloody joke, as Rebecca pointed out.
If Mark had said, "Frankly, I think you're barking mad," nobody would have
blinked.
Mark is being +blamed+ because he's the only qualified psychiatric
professional on this list.
Ironic, nah?
<dave, run me a commentary on the way email rapes tone.>
Enough.
Robin
> At the time
> Mark made his comment, I thought he was being flippant, and that
> although it was clearly an ad hominem attack, it wasn't a particularly
> serious one. However, subsequent comments from Randolph and Mark himself
> suggest that the remark was intended seriously. It may be that Mark was
> being ironic; he mentioned at one point that he had his tongue in his
> cheek. If so, it would be reassuring to know what was, and what was not
> intended as ironic. I must admit I found Randolph's justification of
> Mark's right to make the comment an astonishing one.
>
> I would prefer that subsequent discussion is *not* taken backchannel.
>
> Regards,
> --
> Peter
>
> http://www.hphoward.demon.co.uk/poetry/
|