re: what kinds of exchanges

Ana Catina (catina@Psyres-Stuttgart.DE)
Tue, 2 Jul 1996 11:59:32 +0200 (MET DST)

I have the feeling that one does not want to understand what Jim Mancuso
said. The point is that there is a difference between exchanging
ideas and arguing provocatively. In my personal construct exchanging means
having an (documented opinion) on fields involved in a discussion with
a constructive intention to understand things better or to construe
bridges over different points of view. Arguing provocatively
means a plain intention to persuade some others that their point of view
is ......(take whatever discounting attribute) whereas the point
supported by the speaker is the core of the truth. In the latter case the
discussion takes an irritating shrill, where certain knowledge is
discarded often by speculations, biased interpretations or verbal-juggle
with superficial information. Sometimes such messages are full of
accusations and a disguised message like "if you do not fight back on my
terms, you lost". These kind of communication ended usually by somebody
blaming the whole list of hostility, dogmatism, lack of openness,
discrimination, elitarism etc. The last
word use to refer to "being disappointed" or "being on the false list

Any sent messages has an content, pursues a certain goal, and
is written in a certain style and conveys a certain attitude toward the
readers. I chose what to read on the list
according to the aticipated content. I hope that the goal of the message is a
to give and get more understanding and not to win -necessarily- a
battle. I hope that the style is not different from that allowed by a
normal, face to face communication and I pray God that the writer
praises the work of any participants at the list, at least as much as s/he
paises his/her own.
If one does think that the list does not meet one's expectations, one can
sign off; this is a personal decision. No grand exit required.

***************************************
Dr.Phil. Ana Catina
Center for Psychotherapy Research
Christian Belser Str. 79a
70597 Stuttgart
Germany

Fax number. *49 711 687 6902
Phone 49 711 6781 411
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