Re: Garden Party

["claudia heller" <heller@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am a Brazilian subscriber and I fully agree. It is becoming increasing
difficult to follow the issues under debate.

----------
> From: Robert Ages <yu132844@xxxxxxxx>
> To: POST-KEYNESIAN THOUGHT   <pkt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Garden Party
> Date: Terça-feira, 4 de Março de 1997 11:47
>
> Dear Friends:
> Being now in the last term of my undergrad work I have not had time to
> pay close attention to the discussions on the list; I do however try to
> at least briefly scan them. I have noticed - and it is one of the
> reasons I have not made extra effort to fit PKT into my study schedule -
> that the skunks are back at the garden party and with them the tone and
> usefulness of the list has declined considerably.
>
> The union movement from which I come has a long history and experience
> in dealing with agents provocateurs and the damage they can cause.
> Clearly the academics on this list, or at least a good number of them,
> share a naive confusion between scholarly dialogue and sabotage.
>
> The internet is and should remain a free space for open communication.
> In line with this PKT is not a moderated list. Ric has neither the
> authority nor inclination to censor inappropriate messages. It is
> therefore up to each individual who shares the purpose of the list to
> exercise discipline and self-restraint in the interest of all others -
> contributors or sincere lurkers.
>
> There are a couple of people who obviously do not support the purpose of
> this list or respect its guidelines for participation. They simply want
> to provoke supporters of PK economics into multiplying the volume of
> messages whose net effect is to turn people away from the list and
> serious and useful discussion of heterodox economics. Unfortunately,
> from the growing length of the digest I receive daily, full of
> right-wing nonsense, flaming rebuttals, and personal attacks going both
> ways, they are succeeding.
>
> I won't get people upset by naming names. You know who you are or you
> know who they are - depending on whether you are one of us or one of
> them. :-)   But, may I heartily and sincerely request, that the
> participants on this list who support or at least sympathize with
> post-keynesian economics join in isolating and immunizing those with
> clearly ulterior motives. Do not, I repeat, do not, allow yourself to be
> provoked into continuing this useless and sterile "dialogue". Without
> your participation the couple of "skunks" cannot write enough in a day
> to do serious damage by cluttering up the list - even if they upload
> opuses the names can be recognized and the entire message deleted or
> scanned through in seconds.
>
> In conclusion, I have hesitated to intervene since in a way it is
> precisely the opposite of the recommendation I make above - that is
> becoming part of the diversive problem. However, I felt compelled to
> make this one plea as the problem seems to be growing rather than dying
> down on its own.
>
> If the quality of the discussion does not improve I will not intervene
> again but simply un-subscribe - as I suspect many others like me will as
> well. Unfortunately this is exactly the purpose of the "skunks" or
> provocateurs. But you cannot blame a skunk for being a skunk, that is
> their nature - the problem is with those who fall for their ploys and
> provocations.
>
> Please, give some serious thought to this and exercise self-restraint.
> When you sit down to compose a message, or before you send one, ask
> yourself: is this a contribution that would inspire one of Bob's
> classmates who is just becoming exposed to economic thought to look to
> post-keynesianism as an alternative to the standard fare they are
> exposed to and will get more of in grad school? If not - dont!
>
> Warmest regards,
> Bob Ages
>
> p.s. if you feel compelled to comment on this message, positively or
> negatively, please send messages to me personally and not clutter the
> list with more discussions about discussions about discussions. Let's
> get back to real world economics.