Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Banned From NoodleFood

Diana Hsieh writes,

So, I have a new policy: If you choose to continue posting on The Forum, then however honest and nice you are, please do not post comments on NoodleFood. Do not e-mail me with or for information -- or for any other purpose. Do not talk to me at conferences or elsewhere. Just stay away from me. I want nothing whatsoever to do with the fleas who attack me on that forum -- or the people who sanction such attacks by participating in the pointless bull sessions with the fleas on that forum. I do, after all, prefer to maintain some shred of self-respect.

I find value at NoodleFood, but I also find value at the Forum and I have posted there. Now I can't post comments at NoodleFood. I can't even introduce myself to Diana if we're ever in the same place.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The dilemma this leaves me in is that up until now I could put off until later doing the research and thought it would take to decide the question of whether Diana, et. al. or the Forum, is in the right in this dispute (and I see some fault on both sides).

Diana's policy is either a HUGE injustice perpetrated against the Forum, or the Forum is as bad as she says it is. Since I interact with both, I must basically drop what I am doing, and decide *now*.

Hypothetically speaking, if I decide in favor of the Forum and later come to the conclusion that Diana is in the right, I will have to drop the forum and I doubt seriously, given Diana's tone, that she would be forgiving of my mistake (and that, in and of itself, makes me suspicious that she is in the wrong).

SN said...

Myrhaf,

Thanks for leaving a comment related to this topic on my blog.

Rather than using the term "sympathetic", I'd say I'm sufficiently empathetic to the views of both "sides",... but of course I'd think that, wouldn't I :), so take that with a pinch of salt, not as expert commentary.

Myrhaf said...

Let me put my essential point this way. If someone went on the Forum and defended Diana Hsieh, that person would, by her statement, not be allowed to contact her. Her ultimatum strikes me as absurd and ill-considered. I take people's words seriously (when they're serious).

SN said...

Yes, I see your point about the apparent irony.

Diana's view appears to be that she would rather people not defend her on the FORUM by posting there. I think, in her view this would be a sanction; doing so carries an implication that the FORUM is a place where such a defense would get a fair hearing.