I have been a member of many online communities since I first fell in love with the technology. From BB's to the Well and GeoCities to email groups, all of which are more active than some cocktail mixers or networking events I've been too. After a particularly heated discussion in a technology group I got an email from a fellow member "We all have different experiences and different points of view; all are worth hearing." While I agreed in part, I wanted to talk a bit about community etiquette. So I replied: Very well put. I agree about fostering discussion. I think communication is a very valuable thing. Second only to compassion and honesty. My point however mangled it might have come out, was to open the communication channel, to engage in discussion, to listen. It just started to sound like "bickering" on the list, not communicating. There are a lot of things I love, hate, disdain and like in this world and that includes certain people's point of views. However, I will always listen, even if I don't understand or agree. It is very important to have that. I'll be the first one to admit there are certain cultural idiosyncrasies I am not partial to, hell some flat out disgust me but its for reasons like that I'm glad to be alive. It's all about striking a balance. I don't want to bust out on a moral tangent but I give and get enough to people that enables me to look myself in the mirror each day and still walk away smiling. I don't let people label me good/bad, right/wrong or otherwise. If you feel guilty, righteous, empowered or lame, it's because you made the decision to feel that way. You can't control what other people do or say, but you can CERTAINLY control the way you react to it or feel about. Empowering yourselves; you might find it quite liberating, I do.