I'd like to share this article with anyone who is interested in understanding / improving the quality of discourse on this forum. Humor: A Veil for Verbal Violence Here's a quote:
Speech-attacks, like any other form of aggressive behavior, imply both a victim and a perpetrator. Philosophically speaking, there is little difference between this form of hostile word-use and a physical attack. Aikido, in the larger sense, concerns itself with identification and neutralization of both these types of aggression.
While practicing Aikido on the mat, we learn to recognize and harmonize with an opponent's attack in such a way as to avoid any harm to ourselves, and wherever possible, to avoid injuring the attacker. Aikido is, in this way, a self-defense which implies neither victory nor defeat. the terms "victory" and "defeat" belong to the field of competition and are operative where conflict of interest exists.
Aikido does not deal with reality in a mutually exclusive, dualistic manner. To define Aikido as "the art of no-defeat" is not a mere semantic game. We, as speakers of the English language and, consequently, children of Aristotelian thought, are accustomed to viewing the phenomenal world in terms of polar opposites, ie., "good-evil," "plus-minus," "off-on," etc. The power of this procedural mode has been dramatically demonstrated by man's vast attainments in the fields of science and technology which are based on the scientific method.
Nonetheless, there are many areas in which this method of perceiving reality is inappropriate, inefficient, and tension-producing. there are aspects of interpersonal relationships, for example, where viewing things in a binary, "either-or" fashion can defeat communication and perpetuate conflict.
It is so disappointing and distracting to watch interesting and potentially fruitful discussions turn into slug-fests. It's easy to point the finger at anonymous GUESTS who post here only to flame or troll, but just as often these fights are initiated and dragged out by the veteran members themselves.
[Edited at Daylia's request. --JoeClone]
In the 20 months I've been posting on Mudcat it's become a lot easier to act instead of react, to ignore the usual offenders, let the insults slide off my back, to remain civil and friendly ... even to find reasons for compassion. Applying the principles of Verbal Aikido brings relief and facilitates the desired behavior modication. I did not post them here to "preach" at anyone, but in the hope that someone else might find them as helpful and interesting as I have.
If anyone here practices Aikido in any form, I'd love to hear about your first-hand experiences with it! And thanks for the opportunity to share my concerns and my hopes here.