Re: foundations of relational theory? - some references for the truly starving
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 07:14:32 +0000 (UTC)
Message-ID: <boa80o$d3m$1_at_sparta.btinternet.com>
"Marshall Spight" <mspight_at_dnai.com> wrote in message
news:BqZpb.110751$e01.390739_at_attbi_s02...
>> Is it then also rude to refer to Bob using words such as "ass",
> "unprofessional" and "snide"?
Personally I cannot see any purpose to be served by calling Mr Badour an
"ass". It is definitely pejorative and in my experience flames are not best
doused with gasoline. I can see a purpose to calling him unprofessional in
the context of explaining to him where he has fallen short of expected
professional standards and snide in the context of a rebuke.
Using these words in an inappropriate context simply lowers the dignity of the respondent. Few would remonstrate too strongly as it IS an obvious temptation but ultimately insults can really only offend if uttered by people about whose opinion one cares.
Which actually provides an interesting crux in and of itself - if we don't care about the opinion of those we are discussing with then why are we discussing? I suspect this point has been made already in relation to pigs and singing. Received on Wed Nov 05 2003 - 08:14:32 CET