I think that, with the best will in the world, but because we cannot see each other on here, misunderstandings and misinterpretations can arise.
Added to this, and because of the nature of a group such as this, where many are raw from enduring their voicelessness, and even outright abuse, the sensitivity threshold can be rather low. We have to make some allowance for that, while at the same time not feeling we have to walk on eggshells (which is what we had to do around the N...remember?).
http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20040303-000001.html""Nadler says the missing element in electronic communication is rapport, that in-sync state that's easier to establish in person or by phone. Facial expressions, gestures, tone of voice—all these social cues are missing in e-mail (and smiley-face "emoticons" can do only so much to replace them). But because messages travel almost instantly, people act as if they're in a face-to-face conversation, says David Falcone, a psychology professor at La Salle University in Philadelphia. Because of this illusion of proximity, we're duped into thinking we can communicate about touchy subjects, such as disagreements or criticisms, and that the tone of our writing will be perceived correctly.""
And when we feel slighted, we are more apt to throw a fit via e-mail than we would by phone. "The anonymity of e-mail leads to rudeness," says Barnes, adding we may not feel accountable, especially if we've never actually spoken to the other person. Even if we mean well, the lack of second-by-second feedback, by which we constantly adjust our words in conversation, can cause us to go on blithely composing messages that will rub the recipient the wrong way.""
