Everything you wanted to say or ask has been said or asked

May 3, 2002 11:20 AM

all of the answers to all of your questions, whatever you want the answer to be, are already contained in previous threads on this subject says ParisParamus.

Without being snarky, I imagine there might be others who, like me, do not hang on MeFi's every word and who, like me, would also like an opportunity to discuss the subject and deepen our understandings through point and counterpoint. Is MeFi's tent not big enough for us to do that? Maybe the generous thing to do would have been for him to commence his I/P thread celibacy before hitting post.
posted by RichLyon to etiquette/policy at 11:20 AM (23 comments total)

Please don't base your impression of the size of MetaFilter's tent on ParisParamus. Our tent has been big enough for hundreds of reactionary pro-Palestinean and pro-Israeli comments and dozens of more moderate views. You can probably squeeze in a few more.
posted by rcade at 11:29 AM on May 3, 2002

uh... what's your point?

I hate to have to defend Paris, but the most you may ask of him is to link to the other posts that have covered the same exact topic space where he has explicitly and exhaustedly laid out his opinions, defences, and arguments.

If you want a deeper understanding, then do some research first before expecting people to hand you what you want on a silver platter.
posted by rich at 11:30 AM on May 3, 2002

I think RichLyon is referring to PP's feeling of self-importance, postin to Metatalk just to tell us he wouldn't post for 10 days (Christ, people got told off just for telling us they would never post again) and then threatening to come back if we pissed him off (post gladly deleted from Metatalk, thank you Matt). Everybody's got the right to speak here, but suggesting that we take the time to personally check their history here instead of giving us some pointers just smacks of "don't you know who I am?". This A-lister bullshit is getting out of hand. If he was referring to other peoples contributions, which I doubt, it's like saying "Israel has been proved to be right, why do you keep on talking" which is even worse. Let's keep this off the IP topic per se. It's a question of etiquette as RichLyon has classified.
posted by Zootoon at 1:15 PM on May 3, 2002

Let's keep this off the IP topic
Not That I thought you were trying to move it there, but you know how these things evolve.
posted by Zootoon at 1:19 PM on May 3, 2002

The I/P subject is special, because someone feels compelled to post on it nearly daily (again, for the record, I rarely have initiated threads on the subject). And for the record, I have not said anything partisan on the subject since 4/24, thereby upholding my promise.
posted by ParisParamus at 1:57 PM on May 3, 2002

Self-importance? Ha. You need a sense of humor RAM upgrade.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:01 PM on May 3, 2002

Also, I like Andy Kaufman.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:16 PM on May 3, 2002

New readers: If you recall an earlier MeFi discussion worth looking at, and you have a moment to go hunt for it, link it in to the current discussion! If you can describe what makes the earlier thread worth reading, or link to a specific comment, that's even better. (You click on the posting time to bring up the URL for a specific comment.)

Old readers: Given that the question at hand was the history of the Israeli-Palestinian areas since 1870, and the moral assumptions behind the current Israeli position, Paris' suggestion we refer to earlier MeFi threads seems entirely appropriate. He's gone to some lengths to explain these things here, and if he doesn't want to repeat himself, this makes sense to me.

Paris: Saw something on the news about RAM upgrades going from $1 (per whatever) to $4. Is it time to start a "humor upgrade scholarship fund"?
posted by sheauga at 2:16 PM on May 3, 2002

So all that was lacking in the IP threads was a sense of humour? That's rich. I have kids in my school who fart and then wonder why I don't laugh. Go to the fucking bathroom and break your shit laughing. I'll need a lot more than $1-$4 dollars to mistake shit for sushi.
posted by Zootoon at 3:16 PM on May 3, 2002

And for you: beyond a RAM upgrade. There's nothing remotely poty about my humor.
posted by ParisParamus at 4:59 PM on May 3, 2002

Point well taken, that humor is not the only thing lacking in Israel - Palestine threads. Our Founding Fathers left us some excellent advice for difficult political situations:

George Washington's School Exercises:
Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour
In Company and Conversation
posted by sheauga at 5:16 PM on May 3, 2002

Potty I assume.For someone who once doubted I was a native speaker.
Point well taken, that humor is not the only thing lacking in Israel - Palestine threads.
Referring to who? Who suggested something else was lacking
Not my founding fathers, and I respect the American fight for independence, but I assume they were talking about everyone but their slaves. There's a lot more to civility than polite fucking language.
posted by Zootoon at 5:58 PM on May 3, 2002

(What Matt said) awhile back.
posted by sheauga at 8:19 PM on May 3, 2002

Totally agree
posted by Zootoon at 8:22 PM on May 3, 2002

Sheauga, you're #13086. Don't tell me you've been lurking and/or had that post bookmarked all this time. What are you on a PII 333 or what?
posted by crasspastor at 10:38 PM on May 3, 2002

Or Can-D?
posted by y2karl at 11:13 PM on May 3, 2002

rich: "do some research". When I checked back into MeFi there had been 200 links and 1500 comments since my last visit. MeFi is a great discussion tool. It is a lousy library.

But that is, I think, to miss the point. If I wanted simply to acquire facts, I would go to a proper library and read a book. That is not the experience MeFi offers me, which is to test my viewpoint against that of others and improve it in the process. The act of responding to counterpoint and distilling your own chaotic thoughts into a format suitable for posting here is itself a uniquely educational process.

All of which would be denied to the less constant visitor if PP's axiom were true. It seems the easiest thing in the world, if you are concerned about the signal/noise ratio of your experience, to overlook those threads which you believe have been over discussed. Why deny me the pleasure?
posted by RichLyon at 11:29 PM on May 3, 2002

Things like Autonomy or Topic would make MetaFilter a really useful library. You can get around a bit in MeFi using Google, but the coverage is very spotty.

[Correct, y2karl- I once organized an event with help from Cycle America and currently sell bromeliads (track 05). Since you obviously know everything about me, you can explain the rest.]
posted by sheauga at 8:21 AM on May 4, 2002

But what about the Three Stigmata?
posted by y2karl at 9:13 AM on May 4, 2002

RichLyon, you've probably noticed that some posters here have a deity streak ten miles long. Fuck'em! Don't let it get to you and keep you from posting.
posted by mark13 at 11:27 AM on May 4, 2002

paris's views have made me somewhat mad in the past, but really, i'd have to say he's totally in the right here.

he has decided to not talk about i/p stuff, because people asked everyone to stop, he was probably the main person talking about it, or at least the one people disagreed with the most blah blah.. so posting to metatalk i don't think was really that self-important since so many people had whined to him to not talk for a while. it's not like he just decided, "hey, i'm so important i think people will care whether i talk about i/p or not" people had already shown they did care, about what he, as an individual said about that topic.

everyone has complained forever about how there is no new material being covered in the i/p discussion, and now paris finally agrees, and this is something to attack him for again?

If he was referring to other peoples contributions, which I doubt

um, of course he was, "whatever you want the answer to be" meaning both sides have been thoroughly argued. he would not be arguing both sides, so some of the comments are other people's

MeFi is a great discussion tool. It is a lousy library.

yes, and as with a discussion, if you're not here and everyone else is, and you come in and start talking about what the rest of the group has discussed ad infinitum, people may not jump at the opportunity to discuss it again. further, many people did talk about the FPP-link, paris just pointed out that it had been covered.


posted by rhyax at 8:36 PM on May 4, 2002

Thanks, PP defenders. My sabatical is up, and yet there's still nothing to add.
posted by ParisParamus at 3:38 PM on May 5, 2002

RichLyon:

There is a search function on Metafilter. (you could alternatively use advanced google functions)

I suggest the words 'Palestine' and 'Israel' on a 2 week or 30 day history.

I would never deny anyone the pleasure of arguing with other metafilter users, although I highly recommend banging your head against a brick wall as a suitable (and more envigorating) alternative that is likely to provide more satisfaction, to boot.

I would know nothing of the whole distilling process you speak of though. It sounds way too much like rational thought.
posted by rich at 6:41 AM on May 6, 2002