If someone disagrees with me, how could that not be absolutely fine, especially when followed by intelligent, even robust, discussion?
If you want to offend me, judge me personally for my opinions or for not agreeing.
There is a huge difference between, "That's a load of tripe" followed by an interesting statement of viewpoints calling mine to task, vs. "You are an idiot" or "they are idiots".
No-one crossed that line so no offence can possibly be taken by any thinking man with remotely adequate emotional strength. Therefore no offence is taken.
If the one cardinal rule of the Club is "Disagree freely but judge a man not." everyone can relax and write to their heart's content without the feeling of tiptoeing through the minefield.
If there was any disappointment on my part it was the pallor the change of subject threw onto what had been an interesting discussion of how formative years really are formative.
That brings up another point. We know your circumstances make you feel emotionally gloomy. This should be a refuge from it, not the Gloomy Place itself. I'll go out on a limb and (possibly presumptively) say a Gloomy Place does not invite others to come. A good rant, throw a wobbly, that's fine, but given the choice of listening to Eeyore moan because his tail fell off "again" vs. having a laugh at Piglet's esteem issues or Rabbit's OCD behaviour, I'm going with the pig and the hare every time.
We all have our physical issues, but it ain't a competition. This is where we go to rant about them, poke fun at them, and exercise the part that still works (mostly) up to scratch, the mind. Perhaps another Club truism should be, "The only time a man is rightfully the centre of attention in his life is at his funeral." I now apologise to all for overstepping my bounds.
As far as thread matter, nothing says a subject has to engage all the members or even interest them. It matters not a whit to me if I float something out and no-one "responds". No-one is duty bound to acknowledge every utterance with appropriate awe and respect. You and I want to go on about trains or cars, Fred (who is cat-less, so suffering the same emotional void at the moment, I'll remind you) and I might go on about the doings of the pride here; you're not required to look up from your paper any more than I feel the need to talk of computers when you two are rabbiting on about programming.
This place should be one where we gather to discuss, think, exchange, relax, rant, laugh, and put down our cares and lift others overwhelmed in their's.
Sir.
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