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Like many people, I belong to several on-line discussion groups; they are a great way to meet and interact with people with similar interests.
On Sunday, I had an interesting discussion with someone I have become acquainted with in one of my groups. She was (understandably) frustrated when another participant very rudely commented about the response she provided to the question posed to the group. We had a great email conversation but her concerns got me to thinking ...
People do interact differently on-line than they would if they were face to face. I have noticed that there is a greater tendency to be more confrontational in written discussions, in large part because the face to face, in-person aspect of the conversation is missing.
While concise and to the point can be a plus when it comes to the written word, there is a point where it crosses over and becomes abrupt and aggressive. When one view point disagrees with another, that abruptness will often read as dismissive or even hostile. Part of what makes a discussion interesting are the different viewpoints, reasons, knowledge and opinions.
Sometimes it is necessary to agree to disagree; continuing to express disagreement in a non-respectful manner may cause others to drop out of the conversation. Who wants to spend their time being criticized and made to feel dumb?
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Remember...
When in a discussion, whether face to face or on-line, keep an open mind! There are polite ways to disagree: - "I don't think I agree with you ...
- "In my opinion ...
- "I prefer to look at it this way ... "
"You're wrong!" just doesn't have the same ring to it. Before posting, re-read what you have written. Do you have any misspellings? Just as importantly, are you using the right words to say what you mean, in the right tone? Think about this: You might not know everything! Sometimes staying silent is the best response of all. |
