Stocks A to Z / Stocks B / Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)
No. of Recommendations: 16
A personal comment: These clearly are trying times. Trying for everybody posting or even normally just reading but now being very tempted to post --- and I am amazed and have to admit surprised how civilized the in light of the current events naturally unavoidable discussions here are.
Politics and Religion are always very dangerous themes, as they are such emotional ones, with the worlds of the individuals colliding head on. Resulting in even the calmer ones feeling extremely tempted to yell "Stupid you! Don't you see [insert whatever]? What an Idiot!" and to see (and treat) the one with opposing views as enemy.
I looked for a short while at the US Policy board. Though I couldn't believe what I've seen, all the dirt thrown around to other posters, weak me nevertheless couldn't resist to also throw in a few posts. That's the problem with politics and religion, that they are so highly charged, stirring us up to against better knowledge nevertheless reply to the blind stupid other one. I think that's because in both areas we feel personally attacked when our core view of the world is attacked.
On the Atheists board that's not a problem, as it consists of like-minded people (Atheists), supporting each otherīs view, so if accidentally an outsider posts the opposite view that outlier is not a real threat.
But this board potentially could have sunk to the level of the US Policy board. Did not happen, and for me since the last days itīs clear that it will not happen, thanks to it's very different league of posters.
I just realized that even in the recs for my posts the high quality of this board shows: The few times I post something with real substance those posts get recs, while the far more substanceless posts get none --- as it should be.
Thanks for being able to differentiate and to behave civilized.
And a personal thanks to the guy I admire most here, thanks to Manlobbi for not only having made this possible but to a few times having thanked the members for that civility (and therefore subtly reminded on it), which surely helps to keep it up.
No. of Recommendations: 21
I just realized that even in the recs for my posts the high quality of this board shows: The few times I post something with real substance those posts get recs, while the far more substanceless posts get none --- as it should be.
Watch out for those seductive recs...
I try hard to remain calm and rational in my comments, addressing ideas and events rather than people and their perceived failings.
Nobody is perfect at that, and sometimes I slip and say something mean or demeaning, and sometimes it's those posts that garner the most recs. I work hard to ignore that...those are the errors, not the wins. I offer a general apology for those slips.
Again, as with the old MI board motto: be kind to people, but feel free to beat their ideas to death.
Jim
No. of Recommendations: 11
Politics and Religion are always very dangerous themes,
We were on a long cruise once around an election season. Our assigned dining table had 7 people, 2 married couples, a mother & daughter couple and Sally, a singleton who live in California. The only Californian.
One evening in about the 2nd or 3rd week of the cruise we had all gotten to know each other and were comfortable with each other. One night Sally and I ordered an extra entree that we split, at which our waiters were aghast. (It is not seemly to share an extra entree, especially with a non-spouse.)
Then Sally started talking about some issue that was on the California ballot, and said "Of course, everybody agrees that X is obviously right and should pass." Dan said, "No, I don't agree at all." Then everybody else said the same thing.
Sally was stunned and said, "Oh, I never thought that anyone could be against it, but I guess I was wrong." The whole table then went silent.
So I said, "Well, now that we have learned again that Politics should not be discussed, let's discuss religion."
That cracked up our entire table and also the adjoining tables that overheard us.
