I have to disagree with the recent approach to listserv etiquette.  

The call to politeness is, as it usually is, anti-intellectual in its vagueness.  Anyone could read the recent calls to correctness as applying only to the other guy and not to herself--or worse someone who has been fair-minded in his discourse now thinks his dissent was deemed rude.  

Come on!  If someone is illogically rude, call them illogical and point specifically to his or her illogically, rude comments.  Isn't the worst think about rudeness on an academic forum that it is illogical?   Academic comments cannot be logical AND rude, right?*   It's much worse to call out the offending person as illogical than to shut down all dissenters as being "vaguely rude."  I am sure the French monarchy thought the commoners rude in their dissent.

I personally don't mind rude, illogical comments about me because I believe the smart people on this list can judge for themselves and will find the rude person boorish and anti-intellectual.  It would simply be redundant for me to point them out (unless I can do so by adding to the debate).  

Susan

*If you think so, email me privately and we can discuss this.  I don't think it is possible on an academic forum.  But it does require an argument that I am prepared to defend.
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