[QUOTE=Shodan]
[li]More often than not, I have my mind made up when I open a thread in GD. Big surprise, eh? [/li]<snip>
[li]Lots of folks aren’t reacting to what is said. They are reacting to what they wanted to be said. I can’t tell if this is deliberate or not. I suspect not always.[/li][/QUOTE]
ISTM the latter derives quite often from the former, for all of us.
Shodan, I have to come clean here. I disgree vehemently with your positions on many issues. In the past your posts, both in content and in presentation, have driven me right up the fucking wall. I confess that I have even had you on ignore, though briefly and quite a while ago.
However, your conduct recently, especially throughout this particular mess, has helped me develop a great deal of respect for you. I still disagree with your viewpoints, but I feel as though you will at least respect my opposition, as I respect yours to mine. Thank you.
Based on this amazing thread, it appears to me that you are variously disliked, pitied and disdained. You may have noticed that helpful advice stopped appearing here pages and pages ago.
The aspect of this thread that has been most interesting to me, Scott, is the vast gulf between your image of yourself and the way others see you, as well as your seeming indifference to that difference.
Basically, I have been saying. “Yes, I know people don’t like me. I will change. However, first I will defend what I have said in the past.” It seems like people just can’t stand that. :shrug:
Also, Sauron’s post was meant to mock me. However, at first, I read it literally, that he has actually received many email from mods. Thus, I reflected that while I might be pitted here, at least they wasn’t worked up enough to have emails sent. I joked about that idea.
I am not saying that nothing was wrong with my past. However, people claimed I was flat out wrong tohave made certain claims, and I think I was right to have done so.
Like my declaring victory over the factual statements I made back in the thread about Santorum reading the bible. Like just about every debate I was ever in with Bricker.
I mentioned elsewhere that I had myself suspended for a month, a while ago. That was for the same reason that I agreed to the “questions only” stipulation - to try to regain a sense of perspective about the boards, as well as some other issues. I’d like to think that your post is in response to that. I hope so, at least.
OK, I’ve decided.
One such post as the above is enough to make the whole week worthwhile. Thank you for your response.