trench warfare

john · Post by **john** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:27 pm

speaking only for myself, i'm done with the trench warfare on this site. i expect salient repartee. i expect wild ass opinions. i respect the fragile what if into the wild blue yonder of archaeological endeavour. i admire the depth of knowledge here - which is much more than i have. i have tried humor a couple times as as diversionary tactic and failed.

the things that just flat out ground me are 1) people who are using this site for personal ego twisting. go piss off your front porch if you need to mark territory. and, 2) i think this is supposed to be an EXCHANGE of ideas, not a collection of fanatics each yelling at the top of their lungs off of their soapbox, on their personal spot in the internet equivalent of a london park. and 3) we may not agree, but at least we can be civil enough to back off the insults and enjoy the conversation.

and i was getting sucked into it. and now i'm not.

and i know that a number of people here are locked, cocked and loaded.

kinda like the present middle east situation.

what

i

say

is peace.

and not the pax romana

but

a mutually respectful communication

of ideas.

so i have one request.

everybody, back off.

i'm gone

john

Sam Salmon · Post by **Sam Salmon** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:59 pm

Too bad!
I for one was entertained and intrigued by your unique forthright contributions.
I agree this place is in the toilet for now.......

Post by **Minimalist** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:02 pm

Starflower · Post by **Starflower** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:20 pm

Sad to see you go but I understand your feelings

Been there done that.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:56 pm

Bye.

i willagree with minimalist here as even though we get into it, we do try and present our side. i am not a fanatic, and would resent the meer implication of that accusation, my main purpose here is for discussion and to present my side of the argument.

even though things get rough, we still manage to get points across which demonstrate our points of view. i am sure thatmy writing comes across differently than i intend it to but that is binary and a few simple questions could solve any conflict, because i do not mean to insult anyone.

if people mis-understand, you can always clarify...

Post by **Minimalist** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:12 am

Not exactly what I meant, arch.

ReneDescartes · Post by **ReneDescartes** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:25 am

Perhaps it is true that during the last couple of days there was a bit of monopolising of the forum .But it is better to have an animated discussion than to have nothing at all .A lot of topics have hardly recieved any new postings at all .Certainly not from those critisizing those who post regularly .It seems an established fact that the best captains are found on the shoreline .I will stay and participate .I think the discussions are pertinent and especially in these historical circumstances are very important as there are lessons to be learned from history which can serve us in the future .Archaeology is not a closet science or a hobby .It is a living science ,confronting opinions .I took the monniker Rene Descartes for a very good reason :Du choc des idées jaillit l ' etincelle .
That was Descartes motto ,in English:from the clash of ideas the sparkle erupts. Now let us clash those ideas ...

Essan · Post by **Essan** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 2:17 am

You know, I do think folk take it all too seriously sometimes.....

And it wouldn't hurt for us all to remember a bit of humility once in a while. We may believe we are right but we also know we may be wrong .... Unless of course any of us created the universe in 6 days?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 2:38 am

Not exactly what I meant, arch.

no worries, i was trying to be nice.

Unless of course any of us created the universe in 6 days

did i take a pot shot at someone? i think not, so give it a rest.

Essan · Post by **Essan** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 2:52 am

archaeologist wrote:
Unless of course any of us created the universe in 6 days
did i take a pot shot at someone? i think not, so give it a rest.

Sorry Arch, that wasn't aimed specifically at you, rather at everyone.

The point being that unless any of us are an omnipotent being, we cannot know we are right. And we should therefore all show a bit more humility from time to time

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:06 am

The point being that unless any of us are an omnipotent being, we cannot know we are right. And we should therefore all show a bit more humility from time to time

i can go along with that.

Frank Harrist · Post by **Frank Harrist** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:34 am

Yeah some of it gets pretty silly sometimes and I'm as guilty as the next guy. It does help if we don't take it too seriously. For most of us it's just a way to kill time anyway. (posting here, not archaeology) I have insulted and been insulted and I have gotten angry and flamed at ......well at Arch mostly. I regret some of the things I have said in anger, but not many. I have lately tried to tone it down a little because a lot of what is posted is so ridiculous as to be a joke. Lets not take it so seriously. It's only opinion after all. We post quotes to back up our opinions as does the opposing side, but it's till only the opinion of the poster. Everyone has a right to their opinion........even arch. He knows he ain't gonna change ours and we know we ain't gonna change his so it's all just expression of beliefs....opinions. I hope you'll stay, John, but if you think you must go then we'll miss you.

stan · Post by **stan** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 9:50 am

One problem is that there are too few people posting.

Another problem is that when minimalist, for example, responds to something in a dismissive way, the other posters seem to let it lie, and
don't bother to read, consider, and respond to whatever he dismissed.

We can have parallel communication on this forum. Those of us not interested in the creationist/evolution argument can just ignore it, but unfortunately, there seems to be a voyeuristic interest in it that sucks the energy from the forum..that and the diatribes which discourage others from responding, for fear of being humiliated, I am sure.

Personally, I have tried to keep the Caral thread going, but there has been little interest. Why is this? This is one of the most significant areas in current archeology,...the oldest civilization in the Americas!!! Don't you guys get it?

Post by **Minimalist** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:42 am

Unfortunately, Stan, the biggest news about Caral lately seems to be that it is being opened to tourists. I am sure that the archaeologists are just delighted.

Frank Harrist · Post by **Frank Harrist** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:07 am

stan wrote:One problem is that there are too few people posting.

Another problem is that when minimalist, for example, responds to something in a dismissive way, the other posters seem to let it lie, and
don't bother to read, consider, and respond to whatever he dismissed.

We can have parallel communication on this forum. Those of us not interested in the creationist/evolution argument can just ignore it, but unfortunately, there seems to be a voyeuristic interest in it that sucks the energy from the forum..that and the diatribes which discourage others from responding, for fear of being humiliated, I am sure.

Personally, I have tried to keep the Caral thread going, but there has been little interest. Why is this? This is one of the most significant areas in current archeology,...the oldest civilization in the Americas!!! Don't you guys get it?

I get it, Stan, but I don't know that much about other than what I've seen on TV so I don't have anything to contribute. You're right about the voyeuristic nature of some who read some topics. I read them all, but most of the time I don't have a comment. Sometimes I do.......and I guess it just perpetuates the BS in a way to argue the same things repeatedly. I know I'm one of the offenders in that respect. I do try to be objective or stay out of it altogether, sometimes unsuccesfully. Blah blah blah....I'm really wordy today.