From: dagoura@MIT.EDU
Message-Id: <9403020152.AA26137@binkley.MIT.EDU>
To: steffan@world.std.com
Cc: carolingia@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: A RHPFS for the LPTK
Date: Tue, 01 Mar 94 20:52:18 EST


Steffan, I believe you have been unfair to Franz, and misunderstood
his point.  Now, I don't have the article before me at the moment, but
I do recall Franz's point.

He did not say that oldtimers are the problem, and, as I recall,
didn't even imply that they were.  Rather, he explained that we have a
problem, and that this problem could be aggravated by oldtimers
dismissing the contributions of "younger" members (for very regional
definitions of "younger").  While it might seem somewhat unfair to
single out this particular form of uncooperativeness -- from among
many -- it is somewhat more relevant in this current situation.  

I have observed, in the documents I've seen on the net, something I'm
calling "Maturity Chicken".  It works like this.  Gentle A proposes
something.  Gentle B disagrees -- be it in position, means, or manner
-- and so slightly (very slightly) condescendly offers a
counter-proposal which proports to be more calm, rational,
procedurally-correct, fair, patient and generally un-hysterical.  As
you might deduce from my tone, I submit some of these plans are
anything but more mature.  In fact, of late the only thing they do is
propose even less action.  This cycle repeats, each Gentle trying to
be seen as more mature that the one before, and each plan counseling
less and less action.

Now, "Maturity Chicken" is a game that anyone can play, regardless of
age or rank.  All you have to do is publicly imply that someone is
less mature for advocating doing something about the current crisis,
and pray that they don't manage to come up with an argument about how
*your* suggestions are actually more importunate.  But just because
anyone can play Maturity Chicken, don't get the idea that every player
thinks of himself differently.  No, be it King or just-went-to-his-
first-event that plays, he thinks of himself as a wise
elder-statesman, correcting his inferiors.

So, a reminder to those who consider themselves "oldtimers" is greatly
useful; them that already heed their juniors will ignore the letter,
and those that play Maturity Chicken might get a bit of warning.
Chances are, though, that such people would ignore the message.  But
there is some use in the letter nonetheless.  By some discussion of
this disagreeable practice, we might make an atmosphere in which these
tactics are understood to be unwelcome.  It would be nice if the game
of Maturity Chicken went away.

The reason Maturity Chicken can be played is that we, as a society,
have acquiesced to certain assumptions: that refusal to react equals
contemplation and patience; that wisdom is the mother of consideration
but never action; that "maturity" is no more than a prize which goes
to the winner of a debate; that anger is always wrong and grief is
always right; that democracy tends to be sacred, while monarchy tends
to be corrupt; that the minority should labor under the wishes of the
majority, even should those wishes be unjust; that tradition is
childish; that to use power is wrong; that the only deeds which really
exist are those commited in the name of an office or an institution;
et alias.

I find myself grimly amused, because all these are assumptions which
were used to keep women "in their place" for the last century; perhaps
these are always used as tools of oppression.  So long as we continue
to hold these assumptions, I presume, we will continue to be oppressed
by those who wish to take advantage of us.  Having internalized the
condemnation of our abusers, we will jail ourselves in their prison.

Tibicen Blackmane                                     Bard to the Bone
mka Vanessa Layne                                     dagoura@mit.edu
                  "Those who forget their history...."