Message-ID: <32D60651.208E@mind.net> Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 09:05:21 +0000 From: "B. Diamond" <mailto:bdiamond@MIND.NET> Subject: Re: Let's get back to business, eh?--Absurdity To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
mailto:John_Coakley@NOTES.PW.COM wrote: >
> The so called "active voices" are engaging in a protracted discussion in
> response to a posting about the inappropriateness of non-targeted, protracted
> theoretical discussions! Do you people fail to see the absurdity in this.
Do you not see the absurdity (and/or irony) in a few, Western, self-appointed authoritarians proclaiming what they think is best for the the third world citizens on this list that we are supposedly trying to help? In the past 24 hours, I have received over 19 private e-mails from people in 16 differant third world countries supporting the subject of the recent discussions on the effects of capitalistic development projects. All of these folks stated that they were in fact paying "per message," but were happy to do so because they feel the topic is important and oft overlooked (they did, however, ask if the quoted sections from previous messages could be minimized, and this is a good point).
>
> For people such as Mr. Diamond who have never engaged in academic debates on
> topics such as the pros and cons of capitalism as an economic development
> model, I suggest you go to grad school--you can do it all day long.
I am in grad school John, and in this country, we have the luxury of openly criticizing our political leaders and/or political systems, a luxury not enjoyed by many others on this list...perhaps this is the first and/or only opportunity for many of them to join in such a debate without fear of persecution.
> This list has great potential but I do not think it will be realized given the
> selfish agendas (and unjustifiably inflated egos) of a very few participants.
We are no more selfish for seeking the freedom to discuss what interests us than you are in demanding that people on this list only discuss what you deem worthy.
B. Diamond