Posted by partlycloudy on April 14, 2005, at 11:56:35
In reply to Re: On civility, kindness, and being pc, posted by sunny10 on April 14, 2005, at 10:48:34
So, if this is real life (and yes, it's real enough, just not face to face or cell phone to cell phone); can you read the tears in my words, the sorrow in my phrasing, the anger in my choppy one-liners, or the joy in my proclamations?
This isn't even like letter writing - which gives us the time to reflect upon a friend's writing, before we respond. This is almost instantaneous communication, with all its misinterpretations and misunderstandings. That's why I regard the civility guidelines as especially important.
Inflection, which adds the depth and deepens the meaning to our conversations here, is impossible. Even the most clever emoticon (which I personally despise as visually distracting) can seem trite and insincere, at least to me.
So, yes - I get to know people here; some I get to know very well, and go on to further conversations, either via email or by voice or even (gasp!) in person.
But when I'm hurt and crying, who here can take me in their arms and give me a great big hug, like you can IRL?
pc
poster:partlycloudy
thread:484051
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050408/msgs/484131.html