matt@oddjob.UUCP (Matt Crawford) (09/18/86)
In article <1953@dciem.UUCP> royk@dciem.UUCP writes: > Mine always said that >one can never be upset by anyone speaking the truth about you. I don't agree with this. I could upset a few people by broadcasting some perfectly true things about them, and they could do the same to me. (They damn well better not! :-) _____________________________________________________ Matt University crawford@anl-mcs.arpa Crawford of Chicago ihnp4!oddjob!matt Being a BALD HERO is almost as FESTIVE as a TATTOOED KNOCKWURST.
jc@cdx39.UUCP (John Chambers) (09/22/86)
> Mine always said that > one can never be upset by anyone speaking the truth about you. C'mon, is anyone really that naive? There was the case a couple years back, reported in much of the scientific press, of a fellow who finally found out why all his grant applications to any federal agency had been turned down. It seems that the FBI had found out that back in the 30's, long before he had met his future wife, his future father-in-law had subscribed to a "communist" publication for about 6 months, then dropped the subscription. This sufficed to get his future son-in-law reported as a potential subversive 40 years later. OK, it's stupid. But it had a drastic impact on this fellow's whole career. And he never claimed it was false. There used to be a common-law rule that you were forgiven minor "offenses" after 7 years. This isn't true in our society. Facts about you can follow you the rest of your life, and can be visited on your descendants (or even on casual acquaintances). Some years ago, my phone was tapped by someone. Upstairs from me lived a fellow who was very active in all sorts of radical politics, and I occasionally deigned to talk to him. I expect that it could hurt my chances for credit and/or employment if the true fact were known that my phone has been tapped "for cause". Although it's true, I'm not so sanguine about it being noised about to any witch-hunters that may be in the vicinity. I regularly attend a Unitarian "church"; in the Boston area this is an accepted and "normal" thing to do (even if they do have a harpsichord in the chapel :-). If I were to move back to the South, I'm not too sure I'd want it generally known that I have attended this church, which as everyone knows is full of all sorts of humanists, peaceniks, pinkos, and other subversive types. I'd have a justified fear of having a cross burnt in my front yard, if not in my living room. On another front, I once lived in a strongly Mormon area (as do many of my relatives). I was good friends with the local Baptist minister and his family. After a few years, they moved out of town. They couldn't get insurance on their home any more (after dozens of broken windows and petty burglaries). Also, their teen-age son was hospitalized for most of a year as a result of a beating he received; the culprits bragged about it openly, and weren't prosecuted. So much for the truth being harmless. Yes, we DO live in a country where people do things like that. Don't be so naive! -- John M Chambers Phone: 617/364-2000x7304 Email: ...{cthulhu,inmet,harvax,mit-eddie,mot[bos],rclex}!cdx39!{jc,news,root,usenet,uucp} Smail: Codex Corporation; Mailstop C1-30; 20 Cabot Blvd; Mansfield MA 02048-1193 Telex: 922-443 CODEX A MNSF !fortune -o
ellen@dciem.UUCP (Ellen Leibman) (09/29/86)
In article <320@cdx39.UUCP> jc@cdx39.UUCP (John Chambers) writes: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Actually, I (Ellen) said it! >> Mine always said that >> one can never be upset by anyone speaking the truth about you. > This was in response to an opinion seeker wondering about posting info about his SO on the net! My, you certainly are quick to jump on a soapbox. [many horror stories of people misusing or being harmed by the truth being spoken about them, mostly by the U.S. Gov't. or small town bigots!] >So much for the truth being harmless. > >Yes, we DO live in a country where people do things like that. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >Don't be so naive! > Actually, I don't. Check the original posting and you'll see. This IS an International Network you know! I still maintain that if I never do anything I am ashamed of I can't be hurt by the truth. I will allow certain disclaimers to this. I am not totally naive. There are certain limits to how much truth about me and to whom it is told I would like to see distributed (sorry about the English!). The statement was made in reference to information being exchanged in casual conversation or discussions. Not in formal business meetings or tale telling to my mother. Just in the case of reasonable people having a conversation. > John M Chambers Ellen Leibman (guest user) {hplabs!seismo!mnetor, decwrl!decvax, ihnp4, watmath}...!utzoo!dciem!royk