Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/02
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On 1 Mar 99, Joseph Codispoti wrote, at least in part:
> Now that the Erwin/Eric bruhaha is over and the MD-12 issue is petering
> out, it must be time to beat on Francesco. Italians are not really
> abrasive. On the contrary, they are straight forward, matter of fact and
> secure people who do not cloak their words in euphemisms. The problem is
> that some of the whom they come in contact with have very fragile egos and
> require sugar coating on every remark.
Straight forward, direct and matter-of-fact are qualities that
many besides Italians greatly admire, Joe. Profanity, however, is
unnecessary to achieve those qualities.
When it's the boys (or girls), over a libation or two, the setting is
quite different. Here, however, the feelings of those yet unknown
to us, should be respected. There are gentle folk here of both
sexes who are greatly put off by Walt's seeming inability to write
without profanity.
A local friend with the surname of Iozzi is exactly as you describe,
Joe. He shoots Leica, Hassy and Linhof with a passion. His
critiques, of his own and other's photography, are without sugar
coating of any kind. They are also without profanity!
I know that my attitude is not popular in this permissive world,
and now, quite permissive mailing list, but it's mine and I'm stuck
with it. It's the way I was taught and I'll die with it.
Try the following. Next time you're about to fire off a post
containing 'your usual', pause and rephrase the parts with
profanity/obscenity. I'll bet that the meaning and strength of the
post is intact and uncompromised. Self control requires strength
and is not a wussy trait.
- --
Roger
mailto:roger@beamon.org
The strength and power of despotism
consists wholly in the fear of resistance.
-- Thomas Paine