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Subject: 
Re: Should AFOL websites keep to themselves?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Fri, 13 Apr 2007 01:19:31 GMT
Viewed: 
3798 times
  
--snip--

   I said “Animal Farm” because I got sick of typing “1984.” The intended joke was that you would scour every George Orwell book that you could get your hands on to find something, anything to support your argument. But it wouldn’t be the first time that my brand of humor has proven to be too subtle for you.

Not that interested to be honest. I’ve read most of his books and the only ones I can think of that are relavent are 1984 and Animal Farm (and posible some snippets from Shooting an Elephant). Obviously my joke about Keep the Aspidistra Flying was lost on you too.

As for getting or not getting humour, I think you missed that my response to your response (in the link above) was intended humourously too. The difference is that my concept of subtlety is actually subtle whereas yours is more like

  
  
   Furthermore, you might want to decide which side of the argument you are on before you start typing. When did I ever say that “doublethink” wasn’t Orwell? And if we can agree that “doublespeak” is largely derived from Orwell’s concepts of “newspeak” and “doublethink” then it is simply a red herring for you to debate the origin of the word.

Where did I say you did? You dropped a comment on Animal Farm in reference to Doublespeak, I pointed out that it was from 1984 alone.

Is that what you were trying to say? I suppose it wouldn’t be the first time that your brand of logic has proven to be too subtle for me.

Probably won’t be the last either. As I mentioned above I like to keep my subtlety subtle.

  
  
   Your assertion that using the word “murfle” to describe “censorship” is doublespeak is flawed, because the word does not literally mean the opposite of what it is being used for. So yes, I do think you might benefit from re-reading (and grokking) Orwell’s books.

It doesn’t have to mean the opposite. Neither the Wikipedia article on Doublespeak nor on Newspeak demand that it be the opposite. I’m not sure why you think it does.

Doublespeak implies the misleading use of terminology to cloak the true meaning of phrases. Since the word “murfle” was invented whole cloth by Todd to describe something new, which even you admit is not full-out censorship, and since it does not have a pre-existing meaning which would distract somebody from understanding its true meaning, your statement that the word “murfle” is used as doublespeak for censorship falls flat.

The word murfle was created to describe a form of censorship in fluffy terms ie. the misleading use of terminology to cloak the true meaning. There’s nothing new about having an uncensored and a censored version of things so it’s not a new word to describe a new action.

   Is it censorship when a web site makes you click an extra link in order to see material that may be considered offensive to some? If so, then I think it is hysterical that the home page of a certain board that was created specifically in response to “too much censorship on LUGNET” contains exactly such a warning.

No it’s not. I forgot about your war on JLUG but I guess that explains why you’re so testy about my responses. Nothing quite as pointless as arguing with someone who’s already made their mind up about you based on your affiliations.

--snip--

   I am perfectly satisfied that a rational reader can understand what I am saying, and I am also completely comfortable with the consistency of my statements. If you don’t fall into that category, well then that really isn’t my problem.

I too am satisfied that a rational reader will find my argument logical. Either one of us is wrong or we’re both somewhat right.

   Please demonstrate how I have been “fluid” in my interpretation?

Perhaps fluid is wrong, I may be mistaking sheer inconsistency for shifting goalposts.

  
  
   Honestly, Tim, I think you are allowing your apparent dislike of me to cloud your logic. Did I really get inside your head somehow?

Not at all. My logic is sound. I’m yet to see any from you to determine if yours is the same.

I’m not making any claims to like you but for all I dislike your tone and quality of argument it’s not enough to make me dislike you. I’m afraid it takes a lot more than being an arrogant and illogical debater to get in my head.

If you say so.

Is this more of the infamous subtelty or is it the razor sharp logic?

  
   Care to point out your logic to me?

Interesting that you missed this one out. I guess you’re so satisfied with your own logic you feel no need to make it clear. At least some of us take the time to spell out our arguments.

  
  
   So let’s see what your favorite reference source has to say about the word “Orwellian.”

If I had a copy of 1984 handy I’d refer to it but unfortunately I don’t.

Ah, well let me save you some time. Without thumbing through my copy I can pretty much guarantee you that you will not find any mention of the word “Orwellian” in the book 1984.

Ahhh subtle wit.

   Again, I’m not really sure which side of the argument you are on here. Sure, Richie and I seem to be able to use the term “Orwellian” correctly. Does the Wikipedia definition “match” any of the statements you’ve made?

I’m not picking and choosing here. I’m merely pointing out that by the definition you quoted some of what you wrote as being Orwellian was and some of it wasn’t. Thus even by your own arguments you are slightly wrong.

Are you now arguing that Richie was right in saying it was Orwellian even by your own definition?

As I have already mentioned the term Orwellian could also be used to refer to the language elements of his books. If Wikipedia disagrees then I can accept that my sphere of usage for it is broader than that which is common but I don’t see it as undermining my argument per se.

   Oh, I don’t think coarseness weakens an argument per se, but it is usually a sign that emotion is taking over for logic.

I suspected as much. Take it from me that it doesn’t when coming from me. I’ve never had a problem with “coarse” or “refined” metaphors and will use either when I think them appropriate. I prefer to keep the sphere of my language use broader rather than narrower.

   And that is really the crux of this whole murfling thing to begin with. It is possible to teach even a sex education class without resorting to vulgar or profane language, so it really baffles me when people claim that the threat that their profanity might get murfled is somehow suppressing their ability to express their ideas.

It really baffles me why some people have a problem with the type of language used by others.

Of course there are (almost) always other ways of saying things but why should it be restricted? That’s ignoring the fact that what is considered profane by one person may be perfectly accpetable to another. As an example you seem to consider “talking out of your arse” as coarse but that is acceptable language in the highest office in my country.

   Your interpretation: Richie was saying that, because the Admins see a button that says “murfle” instead of one that says “delete” or “cancel” that this somehow makes it easier for them to censor a post for less-than-honorable reasons. Show me a post, any post on LUGNET that has been murfled for any reason other than a clear violation of TOS regarding strong language.

This is completely unrelated to my argument. My point is that Richie is arguing that murfling is a euphemism for censorship. On that point I completely agree with him. Even if it had never been used it would still be a euphemism for censorship. Is that too subtle for you?

   My interpretation: Richie was saying that “murfling” is a mysterious tool that is arbitrarily applied by the admins to suppress certain viewpoints and/or sanitize the historical record of this site. Again, show me any murfled post that supports that position. And then explain to me why Todd went to such great lengths to create a system which allowed the admins to bury the profanity without actually deleting the offensive text from the permanent record.

Regardless of which interpretation is correct, I stand by my initial reaction that Richie was being rather alarmist. Nothing fluid about it whatsoever.

  
   Why don’t you reboot and try again?
Why bother. Whatever logical flaws I may have made are dwarfed by yours.

“I know you are, but what am I?”

Brilliant.

Do you really expect me to write something pithy in response to such a bland comment as “Why don’t you reboot and try again?”? If so then you expect a far higher standard of commentary from me than you do from yourself.

Tim



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Should AFOL websites keep to themselves?
 
(...) So how is that different from having to click an extra link to see the "un-murfled" version of a message? Do you recognize only shades of grey, but not shades of pink? (...) Well you've got me wrong there. I believe there is ample proof in the (...) (18 years ago, 13-Apr-07, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Should AFOL websites keep to themselves?
 
(...) I said "Animal Farm" because I got sick of typing "1984." The intended joke was that you would scour every George Orwell book that you could get your hands on to find something, anything to support your argument. But (URL) it wouldn't be the (...) (18 years ago, 13-Apr-07, to lugnet.off-topic.debate, FTX)

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