[katsarecool]

Great topic BTW and was happy to see it bumped!

I also have been on the net for 15 years and have learned a great deal about the positive ways to communicate in this medium. It is very different when talking to someone in RT.

I have learned to speak to someone through typing exactly as if we were having a face to face conversation. And repeating back to a poster what I thought I heard in hopes it would become clearer to me or perhaps I misunderstood.

I have learned that hammering home my own opinion does nothing but cause anger and resentment all around. I also learned to speak my truth quietly and that it is ok to walk away and it is not ok to always have the last word.

I also learned that once a debator gets angry and posts in an angry manner they have lost the debate and their audience.

I also learned to use "pull words" rather than "push words". Such as "it would be a good idea if you did this for that problem" vs "well you better, you have to, you should, you must do that". I also learned to stay on topic as much as possible and try not to be baited to off topics by someone who disagrees with me. Best to either futher make clear my position if unclear and then to just walk away.

And the 24 hour rule that has been mentioned when upset about a subject is awesome and works!!!! If I have to respond right away I do it in Word first, wait the day and go back and read what I wrote. Most of the time I won't post it.

Thanks for opening this thread and it is a good read indeed!