Things we do

[KMEM]

1. Why do we say, I am not a lawyer, and then offer legal advice?

2. Why do we say, I am not a doctor, and then offer medical advice?

3. Why do we say, I am a client, and then offer how escorts feel?

4. Why do we say, I am an escort, and then offer how clients feel?

5. Why do those making 12,15 or 20 dollars an hour offer financial investment advice?

6. Why do people who travel twice a year, offer airline, hotel and other travel advice?

 

I could go on and on but I suppose the answer is because everyone has an opinion. Some opinions are better than others. But right or wrong, carefully thought out or just posted on a whim, we all do have opinions. It is not only the American way, but the way of the world. Who among us would be willing to state their qualifications before they offer any opinion or advice on each and every subject? Not very many. And, who will be qualified to judge those qualifications? I have to know where you are coming from before I will listen to your criticism, friendly or otherwise, of where I am coming from. Then we have those who automatically reject any comment if it is different fomr their point of view, politically or otherwise, or seemingly personal. No one likes to be personally attacked, except maybe NCM. That was a personal aside. Please disregard.

 

What is the point? I don't wish to discourage anyone from posting and I doubt that this will, but it couldn't hurt to think about the content before reducing it to print, could it?

 

I invite other views.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[+ Lucky]

Opinion

 

I don't get it. It makes a wonderful Easter Sunday sermon, but will be forgotten when leaving the church just as the reverend's will be forgotten.

If you are suggesting that many post before they think, and that hurt feelings result, well, I just don't see that. Sure, it happens periodically, but all in all, if I had to rely on a group of people, the guys here would do just fine.

[KMEM]

Just something to think about or not. Thanks for reading it and posting a reply.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[+ purplekow]

1. Why do we say, I am not a lawyer, and then offer legal advice?

2. Why do we say, I am not a doctor, and then offer medical advice?

3. Why do we say, I am a client, and then offer how escorts feel?

4. Why do we say, I am an escort, and then offer how clients feel?

5. Why do those making 12,15 or 20 dollars an hour offer financial investment advice?

6. Why do people who travel twice a year, offer airline, hotel and other travel advice?

 

Why do we say we are not a poster but if I was I would be the poster of Steven Draker pulling down that Bondi Beach bathing suit? Total non sequitar but it does put the image of that picture in one's head and that is not a bad thing at all.

[JT Brooklyn]

Daddys Poster's

 

I don't get it. It makes a wonderful Easter Sunday sermon, but will be forgotten when leaving the church just as the reverend's will be forgotten.

If you are suggesting that many post before they think, and that hurt feelings result, well, I just don't see that. Sure, it happens periodically, but all in all, if I had to rely on a group of people, the guys here would do just fine.

 

Lucky Totally Agree! Other than 1 or 2 "Definitely Delusional" Inflated EGO'S we are a Happy Group of Merry Conversationalist's Chatting about ..

 

1. "TheWonderful World of the Working Guy"

 

2. Other things of Interest to Interesting people!

[Lookin]

What is the point?

 

http://pictures.pichaus.com/b714c057e34c92e477e86baec88c88dacd865e62?AWSAccessKeyId=0K4RZZKHSB5N2XYJWF02&Expires=1239580000&Signature=%2F6UTtVyjbAf2dNvIlwbA7luMe7o%3D

[N13]

Lucy's usual advice is:

 

"Get over it! That will be 5 cents please."

 

Can't argue with that one!

[KMEM]

Well, there seems to be unanimous agreement that this is a worthless thread. Thanks to all for your thoughtful and insightful comments, without following the leader.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[Steven_Draker]

I don't wish to discourage anyone from posting and I doubt that this will, but it couldn't hurt to think about the content before reducing it to print, could it?

 

I don't think this is a worthless thread. I hope you'll be able to convey the message, not sure if you'll be heard though ...

[Guest Musclestudoh]

everyone has an opinion. Some opinions are better than others. But right or wrong, carefully thought out or just posted on a whim, we all do have opinions. It is not only the American way, but the way of the world. Who among us would be willing to state their qualifications before they offer any opinion or advice on each and every subject? Not very many. And, who will be qualified to judge those qualifications? I have to know where you are coming from before I will listen to your criticism, friendly or otherwise, of where I am coming from. Then we have those who automatically reject any comment if it is different fomr their point of view, politically or otherwise, or seemingly personal. No one likes to be personally attacked, except maybe NCM. That was a personal aside. Please disregard.

 

What is the point? I don't wish to discourage anyone from posting and I doubt that this will, but it couldn't hurt to think about the content before reducing it to print, could it?

Based on the feedback, it seems you were right...everyone does have an opinion!

I am new to the site but from what I have seen, it is definitely self-policing and "offenders" are quickly checked back into place.

[+ purplekow]

I am new to the site but from what I have seen, it is definitely self-policing and "offenders" are quickly checked back into place.

 

Sean how about letting me hip check you back into my place. You are a welcome addition to the group.

[Guest Musclestudoh]

 

Sean how about letting me hip check you back into my place. You are a welcome addition to the group.

 

Thanks for the invitational welcome!

[MsGuy]

I am new to the site but from what I have seen, it is definitely self-policing and "offenders" are quickly checked back into place.

 

Sean how about letting me hip check you back into my place. You are a welcome addition to the group.

 

Purplekow, you can usually be trusted to hip check an errant thread back to the core topics of this board.

[Lookin]

Give it some time.

 

Well, there seems to be unanimous agreement that this is a worthless thread. Thanks to all for your thoughtful and insightful comments, without following the leader.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

Sorry, KMEM, if you felt I was making light of your question. It's a good one, but a good answer would take time to put together, especially since it seemed I read not one question, but three: (1) why do people offer opinions if they're not experts?, (2) why don't people state their qualifications to offer an opinion?, and (3) what's the point of criticizing someone else's opinion if you're not a qualified expert?. Maybe I missed what you were really asking. If I have, I'll hope you'll elaborate.

 

My Lucy cartoon was an answer to why I think people offer opinions if they're not experts. First, they like to share their opinion and second they feel, rightly or wrongly, that someone is asking for their opinion. Most of us know people like that, and many of us are people like that. Nobody's paying us $250 an hour for our time, or even 5¢. We're sharing an opinion because we think we can help another poster who may know a little less than we do. And it's always nice to hear we've helped someone. In another thread, Goodie asked a question about credit cards and estates, Cooper sent him to a website that answered his questions, and Goodie thanked him. Sometimes people ask for travel info, or political insight, or emotional support, and people respond if they feel they know something that could help the other person. And some people just like to offer their opinions about anything and everything. Here we can and, like Lucy, we do.

 

As far as stating qualifications, many times people do. I've seen doctors, lawyers, airline workers, union members, history buffs, theatergoers, students, teachers, and hung daddies offer opinions if they felt they could help another poster in an area they knew something about, even if they weren't experts.

 

With regard to criticizing the opinions of others, some may point out minor errors, provide support, or offer different viewpoints. And some people just enjoy criticizing. It's pretty easy to tune them out.

 

For me, the value of the Message Center is in getting not just one expert opinion, but a number of opinions. Then it's up to me to separate what's helpful from the stuff that isn't. It feels more like a workshop than a lecture. Some complex issues, like the ones you raise, may take days and multiple posts to lead to answers.

 

Again, if I've missed what you're asking, I hope you'll repeat the question.

[MsGuy]

1. Why do we say, I am not a lawyer, and then offer legal advice?

2. Why do we say, I am not a doctor, and then offer medical advice?

3. Why do we say, I am a client, and then offer how escorts feel?

4. Why do we say, I am an escort, and then offer how clients feel?

5. Why do those making 12,15 or 20 dollars an hour offer financial investment advice?

6. Why do people who travel twice a year, offer airline, hotel and other travel advice?

 

Why do we say we are not a poster but if I was I would be the poster of Steven Draker pulling down that Bondi Beach bathing suit? Total non sequitar but it does put the image of that picture in one's head and that is not a bad thing at all.

 

Purplekow, that's a NHL season's highlights show hip check! :D

[MsGuy]

Well, there seems to be unanimous agreement that this is a worthless thread. Thanks to all for your thoughtful and insightful comments, without following the leader.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

Not at all worthless. Some agreed, some disagreed, one hip checked; not an atypical thread, all in all.

 

Why not consider these threads as a test case for the 'wisdom of crowds.'

On a suprisingly wide range of subjects, the averaged opinion of a random

group of people is more accurate than the opinions of experts. And, lord knows, this board is about as random a bunch as you're likely to find.

[+ honcho]

1. Why do we say, I am not a lawyer, and then offer legal advice?

2. Why do we say, I am not a doctor, and then offer medical advice?

3. Why do we say, I am a client, and then offer how escorts feel?

4. Why do we say, I am an escort, and then offer how clients feel?

5. Why do those making 12,15 or 20 dollars an hour offer financial investment advice?

6. Why do people who travel twice a year, offer airline, hotel and other travel advice?

 

. . .

 

I invite other views.

 

Best regards,

KMEM

 

If you offer medical advice you could be accused of practicing medicine without

a license. If you offer legal advice, which someone follows and has a bad consquence,

my guess that you could be sued.

 

Therefore, it seems prudent to disclaim the lack of professional credentials.

 

That being said, just because one does not have credentials in a professional field,

does not prevent one from being interested in the subject, or offering opinions to

provoke conversation.

 

I am not a lawyer; nonetheless, I have written opinions for the lawyers in the

intellectual property office at the university at which I work, and offered competing

interpretations of the san francisco business code for a tax lawyer to review the

question of whether I'm pursuing a hobby or I'm doing business in the city and

county of san francisco, and I received compliments from the aforementioned lawyers,

with the statement that the thought and review I submitted *saved them some time*.

 

As to why people who travel rarely should offer travel advice, doesn't it seem possible

that especially by virtue of not traveling frequently, those people might take extra

care and have the time to investigate more thoroughly the options, than people who

do travel frequently?

 

Likewise, might it not be the case that people who don't have a lot of money to invest

would be exceedingly careful and thorough? Furthermore, might it not be the case

the people who do not receive a high hourly wage might be doing so because they

are pursuing a line of work that they truly love, and not merely because they are

trapped in it, or incapable of doing something more remunerative?

 

Might it not be the case that having encountered escorts as a client or clients as

an escort that one might not have empathy for, or develop insights about, the person

on the other side of the fence?

 

Recall that after receiving his academic degree, the only employment Albert Einstein

could obtain was that of a patent reviewer . . . .

 

Curmudgeonly Yours,

 

Honcho.

[Guest zipperzone]

Nobody's paying us $250 an hour for our time, or even 5¢.

 

Where did you find a keyboard that has a "cent" sign? I've been wishing I had one for years.

[Guest zipperzone]

What is the point? I don't wish to discourage anyone from posting and I doubt that this will, but it couldn't hurt to think about the content before reducing it to print, could it?

 

I invite other views.

 

 

I don't think anyone has to be an expert to offer a valid opinion. Very often the wisdom of an uninformed individual is more helpful that someone who has a PHD on the subject.

 

What's that old expression? "out of the mouths of babies......."

[Lookin]

Where did you find a keyboard that has a "cent" sign? I've been wishing I had one for years.

You already do. Try typing alt + 0162 (numeric keypad). http://home.earthlink.net/~awinkelried/keyboard_shortcuts.html

[Racketjock]

Opinions are free must may be costly

 

KMEN,

 

Very thought provoking post. You raise many good valid points that I too share. In a declining economy, opinions and speech may be a couple of the last free things we have right now. As a new poster here but long time lurker, I have seen and read the positive and inciting effects of voicing one's opinion on a subject. I respect everyone for voicing theirs. For someone to do so takes courage; courage to be embraced, ridiculed, challenged, or heard. Is it harder to offer your opinion or listen to those of others, learn from them what you will, and move forward? I don't always have that answer for myself. But I delight in the journey.

 

thoughtfully yours,

Racketjock

[KMEM]

Lookin and others,

 

I had no intention of setting off a fire storm or criticizing anyone in starting this thread. I suppose I was just hoping that it might spark a modicum of thought. In the end, it seems to have done so. Not to be repetitious, but I again thank all who took the time to write their opinion. No sarcasm intended. I certainly do agree we all have the right to an opinion and this forum is a good place to present it.

 

To change the subject, modicum and in the end seem to be recurring themes here and with appreciation from me.

 

Best regards,

KMEM