Re: [discuss] Individual representation and the Certf attack onSimmons of the ACM

[Gordon Cook <cook@cookreport.com>]

randy,

please be kind enough to apply your analysis below to the attack by Vint
Cerf on Martin Meuller and Barbara Simmons of the ACM for daring to sit
down and break bread with Michael Sondow at the Berlin meeting.  I have had
now accounts from two persons involved in this donny brook.  Since I was on
none of the mail lists involved, i would also apprteciate receiving copies
of the exchanges from any of the persons who may still have them in their
archive files





>> I must take issue with this view. Nobody should be called loud, just
>> because an opposing argument is advanced.
>
>while literally true, unfortunately there is a serious problem hidden
>nearby.
>
>politics is the art of influencing the decision-making process.  when the
>method of making one's point actually offends the convincee, one fatally
>obscures the point and has lost at the starting gate.  this is trivially
>obvious.
>
>more subtly but far more importantly, it makes it significantly harder for
>folk with more political skill to advance similar positions.  i.e. it not
>only poisons the screamer but often poisons the reasonable part(s) of the
>screamer's position.  this is not smart.
>
>but it makes a wonderful tactic for the opposing side, encourage (and/or
>subsidize) screamers whose views you do not support.  they muddy the entire
>process while they sabotage their own positions, a double win!
>
>randy

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