jts1882
Dean Richards
The big problem on forums in general is that people respond to the person, without the restraints that would apply in real life.
If people responded to the content of the posts and not who makes them, there would be a lot less animosity. Once someone makes it personal, they get a personal response and it spirals our of control.
For instance, if someone makes a comment comparing a manager to a previous manager it should be treated on its merits in the context of the discussion. If someone's response depends on their perception of the post writer's previous comments on related matters, it doesn't help the discussion and just reignites previous arguments. The points made in a post don't depend on what that poster has said before, so why respond as if they do? Its not a rational approach and is a form of ad hominem argument.
If people responded to the content of the posts and not who makes them, there would be a lot less animosity. Once someone makes it personal, they get a personal response and it spirals our of control.
For instance, if someone makes a comment comparing a manager to a previous manager it should be treated on its merits in the context of the discussion. If someone's response depends on their perception of the post writer's previous comments on related matters, it doesn't help the discussion and just reignites previous arguments. The points made in a post don't depend on what that poster has said before, so why respond as if they do? Its not a rational approach and is a form of ad hominem argument.