Prev: Can't install hpricot gem
Next: fastest readline method
From: Seebs on 11 Feb 2010 12:00
On 2010-02-11, Marnen Laibow-Koser <marnen(a)marnen.org> wrote:
> Mason Kelsey wrote:
>> Harsh and shock tactics seem to be universal solutions for problems that
>> don't exist.

> The problem appeared to exist. Nothing is to be gained from mincing
> words.

This is untrue.

If the goal is to cause someone's behavior to change, politeness is
MUCH more effective than "shock tactics".

If the goal is to hurt people while making them more convinced that their
behavior was fine and you're just mean, shock tactics work. If the goal
is to persuade people to appreciate your point, they don't.

-s
--
Copyright 2010, all wrongs reversed. Peter Seebach / usenet-nospam(a)seebs.net
http://www.seebs.net/log/ <-- lawsuits, religion, and funny pictures
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Game_(Scientology) <-- get educated!
From: Marnen Laibow-Koser on 11 Feb 2010 12:50
Seebs wrote:
> On 2010-02-11, Marnen Laibow-Koser <marnen(a)marnen.org> wrote:
>> Mason Kelsey wrote:
>>> Harsh and shock tactics seem to be universal solutions for problems that
>>> don't exist.
>
>> The problem appeared to exist. Nothing is to be gained from mincing
>> words.
>
> This is untrue.
>
> If the goal is to cause someone's behavior to change, politeness is
> MUCH more effective than "shock tactics".
>

Agreed. And I really don't think I was impolite.

> If the goal is to hurt people while making them more convinced that
> their
> behavior was fine and you're just mean, shock tactics work. If the goal
> is to persuade people to appreciate your point, they don't.

"Shock tactics" was a poor choice of words on my part. I suppose I
should have said "putting things in a way that is less easy to ignore."

>
> -s

Best,
-- 
Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
marnen(a)marnen.org
--
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

From: Seebs on 11 Feb 2010 12:58
On 2010-02-11, Marnen Laibow-Koser <marnen(a)marnen.org> wrote:
> "Shock tactics" was a poor choice of words on my part. I suppose I
> should have said "putting things in a way that is less easy to ignore."

It came across as more confrontational, but that is in practice easier
to ignore than you might think. It's hard to not notice that there was
a message, but it's easier to overlook the message.

-s
--
Copyright 2010, all wrongs reversed. Peter Seebach / usenet-nospam(a)seebs.net
http://www.seebs.net/log/ <-- lawsuits, religion, and funny pictures
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Game_(Scientology) <-- get educated!
From: Marnen Laibow-Koser on 11 Feb 2010 13:40
Seebs wrote:
> On 2010-02-11, Marnen Laibow-Koser <marnen(a)marnen.org> wrote:
>> "Shock tactics" was a poor choice of words on my part. I suppose I
>> should have said "putting things in a way that is less easy to ignore."
>
> It came across as more confrontational, but that is in practice easier
> to ignore than you might think. It's hard to not notice that there was
> a message, but it's easier to overlook the message.

OK, how would you have put it?

>
> -s

Best,
-- 
Marnen Laibow-Koser
http://www.marnen.org
marnen(a)marnen.org
--
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

From: Seebs on 11 Feb 2010 13:50
On 2010-02-11, Marnen Laibow-Koser <marnen(a)marnen.org> wrote:
> Seebs wrote:
>> On 2010-02-11, Marnen Laibow-Koser <marnen(a)marnen.org> wrote:
>>> "Shock tactics" was a poor choice of words on my part. I suppose I
>>> should have said "putting things in a way that is less easy to ignore."

>> It came across as more confrontational, but that is in practice easier
>> to ignore than you might think. It's hard to not notice that there was
>> a message, but it's easier to overlook the message.

> OK, how would you have put it?

That's a good question, and I don't remember enough of the initial context
to give an answer. I would guess I'd probably start with asking for
clarification as to whether the OP was working through an existing tutorial
or trying to create a new tutorial.

-s
--
Copyright 2010, all wrongs reversed. Peter Seebach / usenet-nospam(a)seebs.net
http://www.seebs.net/log/ <-- lawsuits, religion, and funny pictures
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Game_(Scientology) <-- get educated!
First  |  Prev  |  Next  |  Last
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5
Prev: Can't install hpricot gem
Next: fastest readline method