Re: [Gendispatch] Messages from the gendispatch list for the week ending Sun Apr 11 06:00:06 2021

[Dan Harkins <[e-mail]>]

On 4/14/21 3:55 PM, Rob Sayre wrote:
> I also found the recent traffic on the IETF general list instructive. 
> I think those that participated feel that anonymous comments on a NY 
> Times article represent something one can determine consensus from, or 
> at least something substantive to argue about.

   Well then you think wrong because that's not what people were saying.
What they were saying was that if even the NYT readership (or at least
those who bother enough to write comments) do not have a consensus view
on the matter then it is reasonable to assume that there is not broad
consensus on the matter (the opposite case was noted to be invalid, that
being that if there was consensus among the NYT readers it would not,
necessarily, imply broad consensus. A subtle but obvious difference).

   As a mental exercise, s/New York Times/Fox News/g and try it again.
See how that works? If some self-selected group of homogeneous thinkers
don't agree....

>
> To me, it shows that the IETF list should not be given the deference 
> it is now (as suggested in other drafts).

   To me it shows that you're probably not the right person to write a
draft to cancel the IETF list.

   Dan.

-- 
"The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to
escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." -- Marcus Aurelius