It's called the "them" and "us,"
syndrome!

There was an excellent article reprinted
in "The Age," a few years ago:

"As everyone knows, the world is divided into
two categories: Other people and Us!"

Other people are rude, make offensive remarks,
try to shut us up ... et cetera, et cetera,
et cetera.

Life can be defined as a long process of putting
up with other people's irritating habits. Yet
you may constantly be amazed at how tolerant even
the most intolerant people are of their own foibles.

Sounds hypocritical?

Let's face it. For some of us life is only tolerable
when we can look down on someone else.

It's other people who get drunk and behave disgustingly,
while we're the life and soul of the party!

'Let's face it. For some of us life is only tolerable
when we can look down on someone else.'

Oh Foxy! Surely you've noticed how long and how hard I've tried to expose this phenomena on OLO. As I've said before I offer a service to OLO for this exact reason. So does anti. You all owe us a debt of gratitude.

How about starting with a cuddle? Aye? Come'on, be flexible!

Any chance that we can get back o some sensible debate ?

Anti sorry not brown nosing bloke its my spell check, had a nervous break down trying to work out what i was saying.
Do you know bloke only the letter T separates a Wit from a twit?
So GY said it would degenerate?
Bet it has not in the way he thought.
Needling yes , unfunny stuff yes but it is harmless.
I still have not seen anything to be ashamed of written by anyone here.
But if we look, truly look we can see its a mirror of life and our workplaces.
We agree with those who think as we do, disagree with those we feel do not think at all.
Each of us takes up the verbal tennis challenge most getting the wit bit right some never.
Still it has been an interesting thread and far from finished.
In total truth howler and anti I do not dislike you but refuse to listen much to you.
GY may have feared a combat session with some of us, I remain convinced some are unable to think clearly but it is my fault not theirs I fail to ignore them.

Foxy
Sorry sweetie but you're wrong.

There are indeed two opinions Mine and the wrong one! :-) Sorry I couldn't resist.

But I do object to the whole notion of two sides, Ours and them. it is as unsustainable as a generality as my joke.

To be completely honest I can't think of too many topics where we all agree. We do at times agree with individuals within that amorphous group of regular contributors.
Its a very long bow to draw that we are in some sort of group think. IMO it's just not sustainable.

I would venture to suggest that the similarity is one of being able to carry a conversation as some meaningful level and be relatively understood in the context of OLO.

I admit to having difficulties in wanting to maintain conversation, with some people who I find are myopic and aggressive about it.
I recently left a site because it was impossible to have a conversation without negative hyperbole and/or ill placed angst. Everything not conservative country was a communist/socialist plot/conspiracy, out to get them. Where BFI, bad manners was straight talk and any contrary opinion was BS or PC on steroids. Racism is saying, how it is. *Everything* political was Chairman Krudd fault.

I guess the point I'm making is, when a set of topics responses from an individual have the overtones/edge, and similar arguments. I distrusts the words and focus on the motive, the real topic. Yes 'h', just for you, it's probably a conditioned reflex from my past

Dear Examinator,

I was merely responding to Cornflower's post.
A "them" and "us" scenario.

It was done with my tongue firmly lodged in my
cheek meant to expose all the vanity and
hypocrisy that we all share. Your joke
fits beautifully. "I'm perfect - you're not!"

Or -

Other people snore.
Other people have garlic breath.
Other people are inconsiderate
when their noisy parties continue
until 4am. When it's 4am at our
parties everyone's just having a
good time and the people across the
road have always had a grudge against
us, anyway...

Other people litter and it's disgusting.
When we drop paper it's the council's
fault because we can't find a bin anywhere.

Well, you get the picture ...