This page makes explicit expectations for communication on both this site, and any platform I am using.

The fundamental purpose of this policy is to make clear that personal attacks on other people is neither appreciated nor tolerated. Violation of this policy will result in loss of access to sites I own/manage, and cancellation of connection from me on sites/platforms I am using.

Free speech is a fundamental liberty. That liberty is founded on a functional society, where differences are resolved in non-violent ways. The focus in a society should be who has the best ideas, not who is the strongest or most powerful. There can only be free speech, when there is the opportunity to speak without a violent response, threatened or actual.

Vigorous debate and dissent are encouraged. Focused on ideas, not on the inherent value and characterization of a person. Ideas, like all information, are separate and apart from the materials they are stored, processed, and communicated on. This is self-evident, because like information, ideas are portable from one material to another.

Separate and aside from axiomatic truths about information and ideas, I, like many, recognize the inherent worth and value of all people, regardless of race, nationality, gender, or economic assets and means. This inherent value is responded to, with aspirations of respect towards other people.

Notwithstanding the reality that we all fall short of our aspirations, some things are simply intolerable in an ideas-based society. Chief among them, is the practice of deciding matters through violence, threat or actual. Our highest calling is to debate ideas and take informed actions. Our highest calling is not to destroy each other, just because it feels good.

Emotional pain is real. However, there is acceptable and unacceptable emotional pain. If a person feels emotional pain because of an idea, that is unfortunate, but necessary in order to maintain the integrity of information flow and optimize outcomes. Individuals must take responsibility for their emotional response to different ideas. If a person feels emotional pain because they are being personally attacked, this is often avoidable / not necessary, and at all times, regrettable.

In order for a society to discover and leverage the best ideas, the signal to noise ratio must be high. The signal being ideas, the noise being personal attacks, including attacks on groups of people.

This policy is concerned with the full range of noise interfering with the debate of substantive and compelling ideas that will benefit the common wealth. It ranges from illegal behavior and threats of violence, which will result in a swift and strict response, to unnecessary cruelty that is hurtful and distracts from the discussion of substantive ideas.

Stay thirsty for ideas my friends.

Mark Seery