In a message dated 01-10-14 18:33:28 EDT, Kenneth B. Brown wrote:

<< ...but certainly not go out of one's way to make a
 colleague feel stupid.  For someone to believe that deliberately demeaning
 others is a right granted by higher authority, or even merely granted by
 participation on this listserve, or holds the First Amendment high and says
 it gives us the right to deliberately make colleagues feel stupid, to
 non-constructively criticize colleagues with the sole purpose of demeaning
 another human being and providing absolutely no constructive advice, is
 beyond understanding. >>

Whoa.  Now who's being harsh?  But as the person who made the nasty, vile,
contemptible, uncollegial remark about poor reading habits (and who, I
discover to my humiliation, has poor writing habits, apparently having failed
to include the first letter of my last name in my signature), I plead
semi-guilty.  "Semi" because it was merely a failed attempt at humor (note
the Woody Allen reference) rather than unconstructive criticism.  I thought
it was a gentler alternative to the suggestion that anyone was being stupid
or that anyone else was accusing anyone of stupidity.  Also, contrary to Mr.
Bernat's assertion, I didn't question his ability to read.  I only mentioned
reading habits, having jumped to the conclusion that he just wasn't bothering
to read down to the bottom of the messages to find the "unsubscribe"
procedure.  I admit that this was an unwarranted suspicion.

I do think, however, that it would have been helpful if Mr. Bernat had
qualified his request with the information that he had already tried,
unsuccessfully, to use the unsubscribe procedures found at the bottom of
every MUSEUM-L message.  Then no one, myself included, would have had any
reason to joke or complain at Mr. Bernat's expense.  I should think it would
also be useful for Dr. Chadwick to know that his instructions sometimes don't
work, and perhaps the repeating message could be replaced with advice that
actually does work.  This would help make the world a nicer place.

I shall take your critique to heart, Mr. Brown.  But are you sure you're not
overreacting just a wee bit?

David Haberstich

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