I've noticed a regular pattern with many posters on Mudcat where they first insult their opponent and then follow up with two or three very articulate paragraphs stating their viewpoint very intelligently. It's something where you could just clip the preliminary insult right off the top without blunting the actual rebuttal. But I have also found humor in some of this insulting language, usually it wouldn't be something like "stupid idiot" or "liar" or what have you, but in the mocking of another poster's screen name. For example Musket is easily transformed into Muskrat. Because of the way he makes variations on his own handle regularly, what a treasure trove that could be - "Muskrat sans Clue" etc. And when Spaw told us we should all go fuck ourselves, I couldn't help myself, I just howled. At the beginning of this thread, when all the offenders burst forth to accuse one another at once, very comical. Joe's response to that, even more comical. Then you have people like Lighter who can land a zinger that comes across more as uncanny wit than any sort of nastiness. So the idea of setting boundaries comes with a certain amount of ambivalence. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy some of it. Also, I think for some it is a like a breather from polite society where you must constantly mince words so I suppose that if someone must out with it, I'd rather have that than have them disappear.

And thank you Akenaton for your kind remarks about my aunt.