Subject: Re: less parentheses --> fewer parentheses From: Erik Naggum <erik@naggum.net> Date: 2000/08/23 Newsgroups: comp.lang.lisp Message-ID: <3176016856827528@naggum.net> * danfm@dartmouth.edu (FM) | In a sweep of a paragraph, you attempt to declare the essence of | humanity, while exhibiting extreme contempt for those promoting, | knowingly or not, the antithesis of your declaration. That | exemplifies what I consider an obstacle to our progress. Why don't you say that you are much more interested in good relations between people than in learning something from others, whan that's what you are really arguing for? It seems you missed the point entirely, but _learning_ is quite the personal responsibility, clearly distinct from the task of teaching. I'm saying you should learn from everything and everyone you can, _especially_ that which disagrees with you, and that includes style and form, while you seem to be saying that if those who know something aren't about to spend the time and effort to _teach_ someone who doesn't want to learn, you should disregard them and their knowledge. This is what I refer to as "arrogant ignorance". Of course I have nothing but contempt for that, but you're so amazingly mistaken in your opening paragraph that it isn't worth my time to "teach" a pig to read. The antithesis of my position is: "be stupid, don't learn form others, hate the competent". If this is not what you consider furthering the progress of humanity, feel free to elaborate. | There are differences among disagreement, knowledge, and contempt. _Really_? You might consider spending the few minutes it takes to read my web pages. Start at <URL:http://naggum.no/erik/>. #:Erik -- If this is not what you expected, please alter your expectations.