I have to admit to confusion and dismay. I find myself being
criticized for precisely the sort of behavior I thought this list was
devised to promote..
In the past, this mailing list has had some fierce, non-substantive
debates. These should not be sustained. But I thought the current
debate was much more in line with what we ought to be doing. Several
people disagreeing, but providing reasonable arguments for their
positions. That is precisely how debates ought to progress. That is
how opinions get modified and knowledge enhanced.
But several commentators told us (me) to shut up. They argued that the
debates were self-serving and of no interest to the vast majority of
readers. Well, if what I perceive to be of high value is perceived
by others to be name-calling, then I am truly out of alignment. So
perhaps I should just leave the list.
Of course, one post that might have irked them was my satirical
recitation of places i have taught. I guess satire does not work.
People thought I was bragging, or perhaps asserting by authority
rather than by fact or in-depth analysis. Perhaps i should have had
many smiley faces to announce to the world that i was joking. :-(
On a personal note let me also state that I personally like and hold
in high regard the people with whom I am disagreeing. This is a common
situation in academia: I prefer the company of deep thinkers with whom
I disagree -- that is how I learn. If i give a talk and nobody
disagrees, I feel I have given a bad talk. If people cannot
distinguish between professional disagreements about substance from
personal dislikes of individuals, well, they should reconsider and try
to make that distinction.
I thought we were actually having an informative debate about the
differences in approaches of the several different sides of the design
profession and different perceptions about how well these approaches
were integrated. Obviously not everyone perceived these discussions
as substantive or fruitful.
But I am heartened by David Sless's note (and his very interesting,
and constructive, URL to his paper).
Don
On Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 10:58 AM, [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> read your NRC keynote with interest.
>
> Here is one of mine from 1989
> http://communication.org.au/publications/practical-advice/practical-solutions-to-the-interface-crisis/36,29.html
>
> We move on!
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