I suspect it may be a matter of social norms. I grew up listening to theoretical physicists argue (my mother is one). They love a good fight, and the kind of language Stephen used here is actually consistent with a deep underlying respect in that context. I've certainly also seen contexts where it would be unutterably rude. On the internet, it's probably best to err on the side of assuming good faith.<div>
<br></div><div>Jameson<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2013/6/25 Benjamin Grant <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:benn@4efix.com" target="_blank">benn@4efix.com</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">OK, I will totally eat this one if that’s true, if there was no hostile intent. But it sincerely appears to me that there IS hostile intent, and passive aggressiveness. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p><u></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#1f497d"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>Benn doesn't seem to be able to distinguish<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><u></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#1f497d"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>People like Benn apparently still don't get it.<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p><u></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#1f497d"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>Benn also does not seem to recognize<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">If I am wrong, then I unreservedly apologize to all. But it’s hard for me to see this as utterly benign, as opposed to sneakily hostile.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Maybe I am totally off base here – maybe being impugned in the third person in front of oneself is completely socially acceptable.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">It just doesn’t seem like a nice intent to me.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div class="im"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">-Benn Grant<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">eFix Computer Consulting<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:benn@4efix.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0563c1">benn@4efix.com</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">603.283.6601<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> <a href="mailto:electionscience@googlegroups.com" target="_blank">electionscience@googlegroups.com</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:electionscience@googlegroups.com" target="_blank">electionscience@googlegroups.com</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jameson Quinn<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 25, 2013 6:46 PM<br><b>To:</b> Benjamin Grant<br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:electionscience@googlegroups.com" target="_blank">electionscience@googlegroups.com</a>; EM<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [EM] [CES #8970] Score Voting and Approval Voting not practically substantially different from Plurality?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div class="im"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">Benn, Warren did cross a line with you, and you were entirely justified in calling him on it. But on a list like this, with half a dozen people actively participating in each thread, it is really hard to decide whether to address people in the second or third person. I understand that after the incident with Warren you are naturally a little bit touchy, but I think that Stephen was arguing in good faith, and you should try address his arguments' logic and not their language.<u></u><u></u></p>
<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><u></u> <u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">My humble opinion-ly y'rs,<u></u><u></u></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in">
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