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Saturday, January 07, 2006

The Don Quixotes of Cyberspace -- (except that I actually admire Don Quixote!)

Moved on! Check TheCairoCalls

About a month ago I read this article by Scott Adams on his hilarious Dilbert Blog. He was speaking about how is it impossible to have constructive discussions (if such things exist) on the internet, because people keep on taking other people's point of view, misrepresent it, and attack the misrepresentation. I think it's true.
Take an example.
I was reading an article by fellow blogger Egyptian Sandmonkey on the unfortunate incident of the murder of two Egyptian soldiers on the border at Rafah. Now, you know my opinion (if you don't read this), but I was really astonished by the discussion that followed. Some people are really having a hard time trying to get around the idea that somebody might have an opinion which doesn't necessarily reflect a generalization. For example, if I said that those responsible for the killing of the two soldiers should be brought to justice and, if convicted, killed (that's what I think by the way), that obviously doesn't mean that I hate Palestinians or approve of the atrocities committed against them on daily basis. I certainly am not saying something which deserves this kind of response from one of the commentators there:
Ok guys you've convinced me, let's ask ourselves a question, and say what would Sharon do and emulate it, then take permission from him (through a medium or a psychic of course), to allow us to use our F-16s and destroy some already destroyed palestinian homes in Gaza to punish the blood thirsty savages.
WTF!! Who said anything about that?
Still, I believe that humans are inherently smart (can you imagine?!) and refuse to believe that somebody with such poor deduction powers can actually type on a keyboard. So, you know, he might be doing this just for the kicks. Anyways, for all of you who have similar intellectual abilities: sleep tight, wake up early, and look to your left and your right before crossing the street. You can't contest that....right?....Wow!, you actually can?

Moved on!

3 Comments:

Actually, I understood the point of this guy with "poor deduction powers"

First it was pure [S]arcasm. Yea, I know sometimes its hard to tell over a keyboard.

Second the grain of his opinion that he was trying to get across was something like this:

You (or we) could kill all of "these" savages and it would accomplish nothing, except making them hate everyone else more (if thats possible).

There was flustration, anger and sadness in that comment.

You just have to know where to look for it.

BTW, I didn't write it or know the person who wrote it.

Papa Ray
West Texas
USA

By Blogger Papa Ray, at January 10, 2006 1:27 AM  

I know that u didn't. And I also know that it was sarcastic (I'm Egyptian, we know those things!)
But thats my whole idea: our anger at the killing of 2 (or more...i have some information that i'll blog about shortly) Egyptian soldiers shouldn't get such a sarcastic rermark. Because if you did read his earlier comments, he was saying that we shouldn't be angry with palestinians, becasue they're being killed themselves by the Israelis??! What does this have to do with that!
See my point, he can't seperate between our anger at some palestinians because they killed our soldiers and our sympathy for those who r being killed themselves by occupation forces.
Hope this makes my point clear

By Blogger TB, at January 10, 2006 3:10 AM  

I know that u didn't. And I also know that it was sarcastic (I'm Egyptian, we know those things!)
But thats my whole idea: our anger at the killing of 2 (or more...i have some information that i'll blog about shortly) Egyptian soldiers shouldn't get such a sarcastic rermark. Because if you did read his earlier comments, he was saying that we shouldn't be angry with palestinians, becasue they're being killed themselves by the Israelis??! What does this have to do with that!
See my point, he can't seperate between our anger at some palestinians because they killed our soldiers and our sympathy for those who r being killed themselves by occupation forces.
Hope this makes my point clear

By Blogger TB, at January 10, 2006 3:10 AM  

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