Intense!

Sunny argues the importance of authorial intent in recent list events. I
maintain it's not "much use." Particularly in cases like this, offense is
a matter of response, not of intention. More to the point, offense is
taken *despite* intention.

And nobody's bothered to point out that there are different kinds of
offense in circulation here--offense at hate-filled language, offense at
racism, at absence of apology, offense on behalf of others, offense in the
name of good taste...uneasy cotmates in the great general field hospital
we're calling "offense."
 
Suppose an apology had been issued immediately. Does that alter
intent? Or is it merely topical balm, however effective? Or would
apology have affected reception more than intent? There are no conclusive
answers to these questions. Instead, you get an unending sequence of
equations and a whole alphabet full of variables: A to the extent that B
is C, D to the extent that E is F, and so forth.

Il n'y a pas de hors texte,

Matt

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Received on Tue Dec 24 11:24:41 2002