On Fri, 21 Jul 1995, Michael Cassidy wrote:

> At 7:39 PM 7/19/95, RASCHKE wrote:
> >
> >I will do something outrageous here: I will side with my prior
> >flamer, Mr. Finer.  We are all nervous about the net, because as
> >writers we are all "elitists" who treasure both the preservation
> >and crafting of the written word.  Before the net came into
> >existence, there was a long-surviving system of apartheid -
> >perhaps going all the way back to the Athenian agora  - between
> >those who could only express their anger within a closed circle
> >(e.g., the barroom insult, or the shout from the aisle of
> >parliament) and those invested with sword of outrage and
> >condemnation through the public word (e.g., the power of the
> >press).
> >
> 
> I think much of the 'net is a cross between written and spoken word, so
> therefore the barroom insult finds a place here. Though I've read some very
> well written and thought out pieces on parts of the 'net including ekk!
> IRC; most people post messages with speed -- part of the fun is the 'net's
> immediacy. I think over time different parts of the 'net will read and
> sound different from one another; I think in fact this is alredy happening.
> 
> Mike Cassidy
> 
> ===========================================
>      Baldness is a sign of greatness. 
> 
> 
> 
After reading some very interesting and thoughtful threads this
past week, I think Mr. Cassidy is right on about the net having
segmented into different audiences, and different "literacies",
already.  It may be that net culture is already becoming fast
"multicultural."  This discussion groups seems to be one of the
most elevated, reflective, knowledgeable, and careful in what
opinions are offered.  Of course, inasmuch as it is made up
predominantly of editorial writers and essayists, I believe, one
would expect that.  As in music, there are people who hate rock
'n roll or rap (read, "usenet", "alt.conspiracy") and love
Beethoven, which they believe should be everyone's esthetic
standard.  No one will make the Net any more civil in its
discourse than they can make the whole of human existence, which
in many ways the net brings before the literary gaze, civil.  

I am wondering if all the breast-beating among the older
newspaper columnists about the incivility of the net isn't
comparable to what the music critics said about Elvis in the
Fifties.  We probably need to get use to the fact that much of
what people read, when they are not listening to Twisted Sister,
is "alt.you.ain't.nothing.but.a.hound.dog." 

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End of online-news-digest V1 #256
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