Hi there SNAKE...

Indeed, there're occasional spurts of acrimony and some fundamental 'toing 'n throwing' but that's merely part of the great tapestry of debate ? Without it, wherever would we be, just another boring mash of words, without too much meaning or reasoning ?

See in reality SNAKE, I'm just a humble cook, not the proprietor of a suburban Chinese restaurant, as another contributor once wisely opined, in a moment of illumination (he was close, but no cigar), rather just a cook. Who's job it is, to prepare the daily luncheon menu and assemble the ingredients for our evening session, being our most important money earner ! Being relatively close to the Parramatta police station, we get a large number of police officers in for lunch (takeaways), and one (despite my ethnicity) does manage to pick-up a lot of their jargon and terminology ! So there you go eh ?

Anyway SNAKE for my part I hope I may continue to amuse you with some of the nonsense that I generally write. Because, as I once said to another contributor, the whole purpose of OLO and the Forum, is to extract some fun from it, as true life is so boring without a laugh or two, wouldn't you agree ?

Hi O Sung Wu,

(Is that your real name or a nom de plume?)

Yes I have to agree with you. It's just that I was brought up in a time of more courtesy and It tends to go against the grain when name calling becomes the lowest common denominator and a poor substitute for intelligent debate in most instances. In Australia I find that even on the road where there tends to be a lot of rage, I always smile and deplore the one finger salute. If someone cuts me off or does the wrong thing, I just move over and give him room. They usually know what they have done. It doesn't do any good to blow a horn and If I inadvertently do the wrong thing I always raise a hand in apology. More than anything else it defuses the situation.

As I said - different time, different age.

Dear o sung wu,

You wrote;

“one of the diagnostic features of protracted symptomatic narcissism, is the urge and need to be heard”

This is certainly an interesting way of measuring narcissism but since you seem to put so much store in it I am not really inclined to challenge the premise.

Being fond of empirical evidence I have review my posts for the last quarter and rather disturbingly have found I have posted 47 times. That is nearly once a day, certainly worthy of consideration of narcissism.

It is something I undertake to monitor because such behaviour can be unbecoming.

As a favour to you I have reviewed your posts for the same period. They total 197. Using your metric this unfortunately makes you 4 times the narcissist. Even if we take the generous position of saying I write twice as many words as you do per post this still delivers the unflattering conclusion you are twice the narcissist I am.

I know that someone thus afflicted will take great delight in this knowledge but I implore you to face the fact that such behaviour is bordering on a pathology and it needs attention. I would happily be your sponsor if you chose to attend the local branch of Narcissists Anonymous Retraining Collective otherwise known as the NARCs.

Leaving that aside and at the risk of further abusing a deceased equine I would ask that you note that neither the quote from Quincey or Melville talked about flogging directly, rather they referred to corporeal punishment which includes the one you have proscribed.

But it is undeniable that self flagellation is a feature of those religious orders who are determined to repress their sexuality. Opus Dei are the modern Catholic manifestation of the practice as is some sections of the Shiite community.

What would be intensely interesting is to wire the genitals of modern proponents of flogging to see if there was a sexual response when they discuss it. I would wager most would register something even if sex was a distant memory.

It might even prove to be therapeutic.

Dear Snake,

As a person who has enjoyed OLO in one guise or another for over 10 years you should know that courteous debate was once the norm rather than the exception on this site. In fact the rot really only set in over the last 4 years and I am not sure what exactly to put it down to.

Perhaps it was the particular breed of Rudd/Gillard haters, or supporters of a pugilistic opposition leader called Tony, but all of a sudden the gloves came off and aggression and bullying seemed to become the norm. Not all but many of the more erudite contributors have drifted away and now we have a clique of those who consider the site a 'bit of sport', a place from which to 'extract a bit of fun'.

I do pine a little for more considered debate on OLO but as you say 'a different time, a different age'.

It has been instructive looking back over the history of the banning of flogging. The well constructed but passionately put arguments illustrate just how terribly bereft we are today of decent discussion around the issues facing us. Whenever someone attempts to raise the tone they are pilloried for being 'intellectual'.

It is virtually impossible to step back and look at the big picture when one's head is down furiously drawing battle lines. Perhaps it will take the country adopting a different, less selfish mood for things to permeate to discussion forums like this. That of course will mean seeing off the current leadership.

STEELIE...

While it's true, I do tend to publish material more frequently, daily in fact. Perhaps it may be a desire to answer some of the responses when I've been the originator of a Topic do you think ?

That said I don't believe I have a need to exceed the mandatory 350 words, quite unlike your usual verbose, interminable and desperate desire to be heard ? Further STEELIE you exhibit an unnaturally potent interest in 'wiring up' an individual's genitalia ?

Apparently in some bizarre attempt to measure a person's response to flogging ? I should say, you've a very unhealthy interest in the whole aspect of human reproductive physiology ? Why ? Is that the root origin of your massive hubris ! Or is it the painful reality, of your inability to relate well to women ? You 'DO' know why, don't you ?

I do appreciate your generous offer of sponsorship for 'NARC's'. Your long alliance with this consortium, sadly hasn't been a happy one for you eh, STEELIE ? And clinically, unsuccessful too ? That said, your offer of sponsorship, however painful for you, is nevertheless laudable;

But it really comes down to this, your need to be 'respected', to be 'admired', even 'feared'. All of which must be addressed, if you ever hope to be relieved of this 'behavioural curse' that burdens you ?

As should your feeble attempts to manipulate others, by employing fear and exerting this image of 'intellectual superiority', the traits of a bully ! We both know, your inferior physicality would be a problem for you, but on the Forum who'd know, least of all a potential target group ?

All of which is further evidence that much more work needs to be done, for you to overcome this syndrome of 'superiority' ! All of which falls squarely within the broad suite of narcissistic pathology !

Hi again SNAKE...

Sorry mate, watching a show on TV. Absolutely true. Name calling, badgering, sarcasm, and mockery etc., all of which are a poor substitute for a quality debate.

Still I thoroughly enjoy pushing the buttons of individuals who set themselves above everyone else, both as 'know all's, and with this superiority (faux) intellect they attempt to project.

By now, it's quite evident to you, that I'm a poorly educated individual. Far too easy for most people to exude some form of superior intellect over me. But I'll not sit quietly by, while some ego driven pretender attempts to 'carve me up' for the their personal enjoyment.

Anyway, as long as you're deriving a laugh or two SNAKE, that's great. It's all that matters.