by Bill Baker
1. Thou shalt come to a discussion group to exchange ideas, not to find a convenient forum for expounding
thine own pre-conceived opinion.
This is the first and great commandment and the second is like unto it.
2. Thou shalt read the book and take part in the
discussion in a quest for understanding/wisdom, not a quest for confirmation of pre-conception.
3. Thou shalt confine thy comments to the book or to what
thou art certain is
common knowledge, rather than flaunt thy expertise in esoteric subjects.
4. Thou shalt not haul in personal anecdotes unless they
are very short and very pertinent.
5. Thou shalt listen to the other participants, not put in thy time
impatiently waiting for them to finish so thou may expound.
6. Thou shalt continue in the development of an
interesting point someone else introduces rather than divert the thread of
discussion to thine own fixation.
7. Thou shalt not rely upon volume of sound and velocity
of words as a substitute for coherence and content.
8. Thou shalt not drag in outside authority nor
historical reference which other participants may not know in order to evade
discussion of the idea.
9. Thou shalt read the book if thou wishest to speak.
10.
Thou shalt be prepared
to treat all with the courtesy thou wouldst wish for thyself and to laugh not
only at others but also at thyself.
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