Noise & the sd-callers Mailing list
Dec. 10th, 2005 10:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bjarvisA couple of months ago, I wrote here about my dismay with the content of the sd-callers mailing list. It's an e-mail list for square dance callers to discuss their trade so I thought it might be enlightening and educational to hear from folks who are long-time callers about how they conduct their business, market their skills, perform on stage, etc.. I was disappointed to see that it was more a venue for a handful of very loud & abrasive personalities to expound their One True Way of teaching & calling. Much smoke, little light.
Just after my initial comments in LJ on the topic, suddenly the signal to noise ratio rose dramatically. There were actually a couple of threads which were relevant to square dancing and were being conducted in a civilized fashion, so I opted to hang on, believing the more bitter ones had burnt themselves out.
The past week's traffic has definitely demonstrated I was very wrong. The level of bitterness, sarcasm and willful misinterpretation has grown to new heights so I've quietly unsubscribed. Actually, it feels more like I've escaped a dysfunctionally negative political campaign more than unsubscribed from a mailing list. I'm suddenly able to breathe after crawling out from an acrid smoke-filled room.
Dayle has been pushing Kent & me to attend the Callerlab convention next spring but I'm more afraid than ever it will be a waste of time & money. I can only imagine how loud & spiteful these people could be in person, and I really don't want to be a witness to it more than I already have.
Just after my initial comments in LJ on the topic, suddenly the signal to noise ratio rose dramatically. There were actually a couple of threads which were relevant to square dancing and were being conducted in a civilized fashion, so I opted to hang on, believing the more bitter ones had burnt themselves out.
The past week's traffic has definitely demonstrated I was very wrong. The level of bitterness, sarcasm and willful misinterpretation has grown to new heights so I've quietly unsubscribed. Actually, it feels more like I've escaped a dysfunctionally negative political campaign more than unsubscribed from a mailing list. I'm suddenly able to breathe after crawling out from an acrid smoke-filled room.
Dayle has been pushing Kent & me to attend the Callerlab convention next spring but I'm more afraid than ever it will be a waste of time & money. I can only imagine how loud & spiteful these people could be in person, and I really don't want to be a witness to it more than I already have.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 03:07 pm (UTC)Hopefully, there is a sharp divide between the people who attend and the people on the sd-callers list, otherwise I'm sure the first convention would have ended in riots.
Anyway, we'll talk. Thanks!