Reply #28: Try not to get personal in your responses. [View All]

[yardwork]

Note how DU rules allow posters to criticize other's posts, but not the person. Statements like, "That's dumb" are fully acceptable. Statements like, "You don't seem to know that term means" come close to being personal insults. Now, one might argue that you are simply stating a fact - I don't seem to know what that term means. For all I know, you are posting this with a helpful, concerned intention. You are worried about the fact that I don't understand something, and you want to bring it to my attention so that I can help myself. Your intention is purely selfless and helpful.

Or perhaps not. Either way, though, you're getting kind of personal, in an invading-my-space sort of way. Let's agree to be a little more objective, a little more arm's length in our communications, ok?

I won't call you dumb or suggest that in other ways, and you won't call me dumb or suggest that in other ways. Deal?