[Leica] Re: Meets & Greets!

[Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>]

Wonderful Ted.

As I've always said, you should speak as if you are going to meet, face to
face, the person you are contemplating reaming over the LUG. I have met
roughly fifty LUGgers so far. I'm meeting another (Godfrey DeGiorgi) on
Wednesday for lunch.

I'm hosting a LUG photo day and dinner on the Monterey Peninsula next
Saturday. There will be several LUGgers attending that I have never met before.

Just think about it. After saying to someone "don't be a fool", or "you are
an idiot", or both, then meet them and try to spend the day with them, or
be cordial over dinner...

I have personally stuck my foot in my own mouth a few times. None of us are
immune to taking offense or defense. But sometimes, a tone of voice is read
into a post, which starts the downhill roll. It is not necessary to be
venomous in a response. There's a fine line between becoming the victor
through setting higher standards vs allowing yourself to be dragged yet
deeper into the "I'm right and you are wrong" cesspool.

Folks argue over two things. Facts and opinions. Facts can be proven and
therefore usually have short lived arguments (unless dealing with the
English language,) while opinions can never be congruous and the war will
rage on and on, ever deeper, until...

But would you spew out the same verbiage, face to face? Perhaps, but with
friendly body language. A hand on a shoulder, a pat on the back. Things
which are difficult to transmit over the Internet.

Jim


At 07:13 AM 11/8/99 -0800, Ted Grant wrote:
>G'day all,
>
>This morning a post from Byron Rakitzis of a first time warm hand shaking
>with Mark Rabiner in Portland, Ore. makes one wonder how we, in the past,
>have allowed the LUG to deteriorate into a throat crushing event of sheer
>meaningless stupidity, bad feelings, name calling etc.
>
>Due to the most inane nonsense, generally created by "one poster" which in
>turn escalates beyond any level of common sense face to face conversation.
>It is the "total loss of stable thought", me included, in loosing control
>of our fingers on the key board and sane mentality.
>
>But when we have a warm hand shake and engage in many hours talking Leica,
>photography and looking at pictures, it is a whole new ball game.
>
>Example.  Byron and Mark meeting in Portland, a wonderful event of common
>bond discussion of Leica and things photographic. No name calling or
>caustic remarks.  Hell they are right in each others face! A wonderful
>experience.
>
>Same weekend. Same scenario, only a few miles north in Vancouver, Canada.
>
>Tom Abrahamsson, his wife Tuulikki, Henning Wulff, Tanya his wife, my wife
>Irene and self had a wonderful Saturday and Sunday enjoying the company of
>Martin Howard while visiting Vancouver. Our time was spent in Leica
>discussion (the women lasted only so long and departed) also of learning
>that "Real Photographers do indeed shoot B&W, drink scotch (Lagavullin of
>course) and eat sushi! :);) And in this case one might say, in copious
>amounts.:)
>
>Did we rant and rag each other, come to verbal blows, challenge with
>stupidity what each other said?  Not on your life! So why the hell do we
>let it or become involved with it on the screen?  To some degree, human
>nature I suppose. But in a period of about two months, one or two
>characters very nearly destroyed the LUG, and friendships of some. It
>wasn't destroying the LUG of the "good old days" hell it was the LUG of
>only a few months past!
>
>If we, including me, as I'm just as guilty as others of loosing brain and
>finger control, put flesh and bones on the screen by remembering how warm
>face to face greetings can be, we may eliminate the out of control keyboard
>Neanderthals.
>
>Think twice before posting to completely inane stuff, dismissing the
>obvious "trap crap" or the completely inane person who posts "sucker
>baiting." We may just save this wonderful communication medium we have
>enjoyed for some years.
>
>Maybe, just maybe, the LUG can return to the good old days of yester year
>or a couple of months ago.
>
>As you know:  "United we stand, divided we fall!"
>
>Or in a manner appropriate to the LUG: "Together we learn. Divided we loose!"
>
>have a nice day guys and gals, stay cool!
>ted
>
>
>
>
>Ted Grant
>This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
>http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant
>
>