ABOUT LETTERS

There’s an old saying  that “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.”

This “Second Post” was initially written over three years ago as a “placeholder” for what I envisioned being next when I wrote the First Post. [O.K. Check the date on it, and do the math. I’ve decided to try to get a running start on my 2025 Resolutions, by actually posting it to the LETTERS blog.

Over the intervening years that First post has attracted a number of comments. Only a couple have been particularly relevant to the subject of civil discourse. The vast majority showed every evidence of being auto-generated spam.  None, until recently, showed any evidence that the first post had actually been read by either human or machine.

The majority of the comments were unsolicited offers for products and/or services.  Unless they were offensive, smelled phishy, repeated themselves, or violated the basic concept outlined on the First Post, I deleted them promptly without tagging them as spam.  People have to make a living.  I try not to judge or be personally offended.

An impressive of number offered products and services of various sorts. A recurring theme from correspondents I hope were female,informed me in so many words that they were waiting patiently for me to hurry home and service them. Whatever, they were “phishing” for. there must be a lot of “phish”. I deleted those.

These kinds of on-line shenanigans are not new. It’s been over three decades, and I’m still pondering what primitive data mining and proprietary customer relations management algorithms concluded that I was in the market for sports bras and gen-u-ine Cuban Cohiba cigars. For about 6 months I could count on getting half e-mails a day on one or the other or both.  (Never both in the same email–the visual on that is really disturbing.)

There have been only a couple mildly outrageous personal flames.  My initial reaction post them outstanding bad examples uncivil discourse. But that would have set its own egregious example for mean-spirited discourse. Despite my best intentions comes all too naturally to me without indulging that impulse.

A couple of positive comments were deeply appreciated at the time, and not forgotten. Kai’s is still posted. The other sadly, was revealed to a phishing expedition when I started analyzing posts for recurring domain names and IP addresses.

Grace and Peace.

James Hargrove

This site is at the moment little more than a concept, a beginning, not yet even qualifying as a work in progress.   The vision is of an on line forum where people of good will engage is civil discourse on ideas and share the results of those human endeavors that enrich, edify, and enhance the human spirit: Art, Music, Science, and Letters.

The scope of Letters encompasses virtually all aspects of our shared existence, including the third rails of politics and religion.  Discourse will, however, be strictly bounded by the extent to which contributions they further the vision of civil public discourse bounded by the following four principles:

Is its ultimate purpose of the writer the greater good of the reader or readers as individuals or communities of interest and the community of humankind?

Is it true?   For works of non-fiction are the facts presented true?  For fiction and poetry do the words, metaphors, and emotional content have integrity and authenticity?  Does the spirit of the work as a whole reflect the positive values of wisdom and compassionate love for others and for the common good.

Is it kind?   Kindness does not preclude critical commentary if it conforms to the first two principles.  Is  it constructive constructive and worded in such a way as to inform and encourage others to consider the views of others thoughtfully.

Finally, does the work  express a spirit of humility?  Does it reflect an open-minded acceptance of the inherent limitations of words and  human understanding and an honest and open-mindedness and tolerance for the views and opinions of others.

This First Post (unrevised) was published on Published Aug 17, 2017.   In it I observed that  these criteria made this something of a Diogenical quest, but that hope springs eternal.   In the intervening years, life on life’s terms has interfered in my good intentions and the road to hell has another express lane now.

Still I’m hopeful. Even in this post-Truth era people are beginning to “speak truth” — If only quietly, but with greater frequency and conviction.

The circles in which this are multiplying in number and growing in size.