Thanks for your thoughtful email to me. I appreciate your taking the time
to consider my email, to honestly reflect on yours, and to respond in such
a respectful and specific manner. And I appreciate your contributions to
our conversation.
As to the email I first forwarded to you on this topic - I took your
original email as being an honest request for any information on it, not
for any particular variety or angle of information. So I'd suggest that
perhaps the lesson might not be the one you described (that if you ask
nicely, you only get "knee jerk" but if you are rude, you get conversation
going). Rather, I'd suggest that the lesson might be to be more specific
in your original requests - ex. scientific info, shows both sides or what
the positives are of irradiation etc. - and if you want something more
specific or in a different way than you get it, make a more specific
request nicely. I don't think rudeness or insults will increase the
likelihood of you getting what you want.
I'd also suggest that people on lists are not under any obligation to
provide exactly the info we ask for in exactly the point-of-view we request
it. This is something people _choose_ to do, out of kindness or because
they happen to know or want to get the information out. I think it's
wonderful to see a bunch of people helping each other out in this way -
very inspiring! But I don't think it's appropriate to get upset if we
don't get exactly what we want and insult those who didn't meet our needs
(most particularly when one asks a question that isn't really the focus of
the list), but rather to appreciate what we do get, and to keep this a
pleasant and respectful space to participate in. If you find another path
to get the information you want, and you like that information better,
great! We can be happy for you. But that doesn't mean it's appropriate to
invalidate us because we didn't offer it to you on a plate!
As to the email I first forwarded to you - I took on face value that you
were looking for any info, I thought of you when I happened to run across
the email I did, and thus I forwarded it - not as a representation of my
point of view - just something that might help you out. I find it
interesting that you found the information in that email completely invalid
because of what you saw as their one-sidedness and flat-out
putdowns/disregard of others. Funny how different that style looks from
the other side. Sometimes one can get information, underneath the bias.
But sometimes it's just frustrating to have to sort past that.
<< As to your further comments about sustainabilty, I want to learn more
about how I can improve what I do on and to this planet. And how I can
make it a better place to live.>>
It's wonderful that we can share positive goals for our shared future. I'm
delighted to be in constructive respectful conversations with people who
take the time to think about how a better future can be created, and how we
might work together to create that. No one of us has all the answers, but
perhaps together we can find a way to have our shared vision of a more
sustainable and healthy future become a reality.
I look forward to any future thoughts or contributions you choose to make
in our shared journey toward that future....
Thanks again
Best regards -
P. Dines