[clug] Being polite on the list - or: Geek Feminism 101

[Lana Brindley]

2009/7/21 Alex Satrapa <alexsatrapa at mac.com>

> On 21/07/2009, at 16:27 , Neill Cox wrote:
>
>  You all realized you need 5 in a row to win at bingo?
>>
>
> I expect that Lana linked that Bingo page as a joke. My response was thus
> also intended to be in jest, though perhaps my humour is a little blacker
> than most can (or want to) comprehend.


Yes, it was intended to be light-hearted. As are most of my comments,
including the original one about not being a guy. The idea was (and always
has been) to make the poster think about the language they have used.

What's interesting (to me anyway) is the way that "Gee, can't you take a
joke?" gets trotted out every single time someone gets offended at
something. My point, by linking to the bingo card, was that it's not a valid
response. Offense is *always* in the eye of the beholder, and no amount of
"I was only kidding", or "I have a friend who's a [insert offended group
here], and *they* didn't get offended" is ever going to make the offended
person like you any better.

In other words ... *think* before you type.

However, as Kristy so rightly pointed out, this conversation has gone on too
long. As I depart, please let me leave you with one more thought-provoker:
Don't assume anything, about anyone, ever. Especially in the geek community.

L

-- 
Cheers! Lana

Leave all creative energies uninhibited. Merely organize society to act in
harmony with this lesson. Let society's legal apparatus remove all obstacles
the best it can. Permit these creative know-hows freely to flow. Have faith
that free men and women will respond to the Invisible Hand. This faith will
be confirmed.
 -- Leonard E. Read (1898-1983) "I, Pencil"

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