My Thoughts Vis-a-vis Online Discussion

I appreciate feedback on my writing. Some notes about engaging with me here or on social media:

Perspectives shared by readers make me smarter. I know that I make mistakes, so, please do not be bashful about sending in corrections.

I try to personally respond to as many reader requests as I can. Sometimes, the sheer volume overwhelms me. Please do not take the lack of a response as an insult, or otherwise misinterpret it, and please do not be discouraged from contacting me again in the future.

Please, let us all be courteous to one another, and keep in mind that no group of people has a monopoly on good ideas. I have readers from all over the world, and from all over the political and religious spectrum; I value each and every reader, and each one of their respective opinions. They, like me, you, and everyone else, are entitled to safely voice their opinions, regardless of location, background, or level of experience. Free and open discussion benefits everyone; good ideas to solve problems facing one group of people are often suggested by others, sometimes even by folks with seemingly no relevant experience.

Please discuss ideas, not the people sharing them. The value of an argument is based on the merits of its content, not based on who said it or to whom; nobody is automatically right or wrong based on his or her identity or background. Likewise, telling anyone that his/her opinion is not valid solely because some authority figure disagrees, or that he/she has no right to challenge a point made by some authority figure, is inappropriate and counterproductive; such objections are not valid arguments, and may discourage people from sharing novel perspectives that can help solve serious problems. Remember, most major advancements in human history have come from people disagreeing with authority figures – sometimes at great personal expense.

I look forward to continued fruitful discussions.

Joseph