on 1/31/07 6:29 AM, charles.r.matthews@ntlworld.com at charles.r.matthews@ntlworld.com wrote:
An argument I have produced before, is that bad language and aggressiveness as a routine form of interaction appeals mostly to the young and male. It happens that males 20 to 25 might be the most significant group here. I think it is also the case that such forms of verbal interaction and self-assertion are likely to put off many other demographic groups. So civility policy is one way of trying to broaden the base of contributors, or to retain people who profile is not a good match to those who think freedom of speech is mostly about the right to be f****** rude all the time.
Interesting. You know, as I read all of the responses thus far, the one word that my eye and brain keep tripping over is "civility" - perhaps I am associating it with the word "proper" - and that's a button word for me. The only thing I have ever associated with the word civil is disobedience ;-).
Marc