Polite Rules for discussing Audio related things

All good in principle, but human nature seems to override the best laid plans....
I can take fair argument if it is done thoughtfully, and in the process, contributes to the knowledge base. Nobody knows everything-- that's the reason why these fora have value--aside from answering direct questions posed by an OP--
Some of the topics are never going to result in consensus, but one can argue- in the reasoned sense of discourse- without sniping or rancor-- as in arguments that are simply squabble. 

@ron1319- think of it as a giant, dysfunctional family. At least you don't have to show up for Thanksgiving or eat Aunt Tilda's 3 bean salad.
@erik_squires - Erik, in my experience, snark and downright craziness has been part of the Internet since the old Usenet groups. The WWW is just bigger, broader and encompasses more, as people spend more time on it for everything, not just topic specific stuff like Audiogon. I don't think the world has gotten uglier, we just get to see more of it  since everything is on the Internet. 

@jond- I think the explanation underscores how little the discussions of equipment relate (directly) to music-- it’s gear talk. And, I suppose even if one were talking about the music itself, one could find disagreement about best performances, and related minutiae- pressings, masterings, etc.

@jond- I don’t disagree. I just find that gear talk is different than music and takes us down a different road. Sometimes, not always, the upset is due in part to the difficulties in communication. People talk past each other, they don’t read every line (and I’m as guilty of that sometimes as anybody). Trying to describe a sensory experience in words isn’t easy to begin with-- and then there’s the disconnect between the technology and the sonics-- lot’s of room for argument there and when it is disconnected entirely from music-pure engineering or technology discussions, it isn’t about the music even though that’s the end objective of all this stuff.
I think as long as it is intelligent, reasoned discourse, it’s fine. I know it’s hard to be ’wrong’-- I suffer from that to a degree, but I think as I’ve aged, I’m less concerned about appearing stupid--I know I am!. :)

This thread is starting to get interesting. I just sent somebody that interview on Harry Dean Stanton's view of life~ in a word, there is no meaning to anything except that which we attribute to it. It's here: [url]https://flashbak.com/the-zen-of-harry-dean-stanton-surrender-to-the-void-to-nothingness-386512/[/url] for those of you who never read it. Kinda makes sense to me. 

@inna- Anarchy in the NYC bank/corporate law world was wearing a rakish necktie. It’s all relative. I have one dear friend who was part of the big firm/financial services scene- he is now an Internet muckraker who lives in the edgy part of Kowloon. I think he’s having way more fun. We all have our way of ’expressing’ who we are in little tells--I actually like people who seem a little "off"- why? Because they probably aren’t as repressed. It’s the uptight, conventional folks that scare me. :)

It's when we get to wormholes that I get wary.