To Mr. Riversong,

 

Mr. Quixote your sword has grown too heavy for you.  It is the very
rhetoric you wield which disarms you.  I have been following this
listserve, (among others dedicated to greenbuilding) for years now and
it is evident to me that you fancy yourself in the court of Hobbes,
Bacon or Thoreau, however your influence is destined to be only as far
reaching as the inner walls of your cranium.  It is also evident, based
on your frequent and lengthy posts, that you don't have much to do.  It
is true, I have at times corroborated your rantings with articles by
more reputable authors possessing stronger credentials. However, it is
the condescending, pseudo-intellectual style of your prose that makes
you difficult to trust.  Most writers will go through a period as they
develop in which their voice reaches prophetic tones, however it is
those that develop the humility to ask more questions, resisting
judgment, that end up being true instruments of change.  I am not
suggesting that you lay down your pen, or in this case rest your
fingertips, for I actually look forward to reading your posts.  Not
because of any anticipated enlightenment, but rather to be entertained.
I turn to the other greenbuilding forums when I actually want to learn
something.  This will be my last post on the subject, I will not be
drawn into any of your sophomoric debates.

 

 

________________________________

From: VGBN Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robert
Riversong
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 9:41 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: BSR - VT Solar Hot Water Workshops 2010 Series!

 

--- On Wed, 3/10/10, David Pill <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

It would be really refreshing to see some positive dialog ....like "wow
it is excellent that the BSR has put in so much time and effort to reach
out to builders and bring them closer to installing these beneficial
systems for their customers. The price seems a little steep,I wonder if
there could be financial assistance for those who need it" 

Seems to me this is an effort to change the status quo

 

One: Constructive criticism is positive by definition. It is perceived
as negative, however, by those who are so invested in the status quo
that they cannot tolerate criticism.

 

Two: Children need and deserve praise in order both to learn what is
considered praiseworthy in their world and to build a healthy sense of
self-worth.

 

Three: Adults should not need to be buttered up in order to receive
honest feedback. If they react negatively to such feedback, it is either
because they cannot accept any challenge to their orthodoxy (which is
the definition of fundamentalism), or because they are so insecure in
their commitment to the orthodoxy that their faith is easily disturbed
(which is evidence of blind faith).

 

Four: If it's the stated mission of BSR to "reach out to builders and
bring them closer to installing these beneficial systems for their
customers", then they deserve no praise for meeting their own minimum
standards, particularly when it's accomplished in a manner that ignores
their other stated social goals, such as supporting sustainable
communities and economies and educating the general public.

 

Fifth: It's evidence of a general corruption of society that diversity -
an essential element of all sustainable systems - is not tolerated when
it comes to modes of expression. Among the "politically correct" it's
been evident that there is only one "correct" way to speak or write -
and that is a way which does not upset anyone, does not make waves, does
not rock the boat, and hence has no possibility for real social change.

 

As the old-time agrarians once knew: you can't grow food without plowing
the soil. As dearly-departed Granny D said (it was the title of her
book) "you're never too old to raise a little hell". And as Dorothy Day
said (the communist agitator turned Catholic and founder of the Catholic
Worker movement and newspaper - still a penny a copy so it's affordable
to all), the works of mercy are to comfort the afflicted and to afflict
the comfortable.

 

- Robert Riversong

 

 

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