Comments on: The electron trail

By: Ron Coleman

Ron Coleman — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:14:38 +0000

I think you have to say they do, do that.

I’m not addressing the dirty parts of your comments, though, Jack!

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:42:32 +0000

“It is a testament to great emotional desperation, the banal electronic background hum of hurting human souls.”

If I rub my head really fast then I build up a pretty good charge in cold weather. I’m not sure it has any long term effects though. Maybe we need a study though, cause I’m not 100% sure.

“The question is, do these electronic devices really facilitate illicit relationships, I.e., allow ones to happen that otherwise would not?”

I think it depends a lot on what speed they are running, and what kind of battery they are carrying. Electronic devices that facilitate illicit relationships aren’t always monitored like they should be.

But I can see how such devices could lead to sexually explicit dialogue. Once again I think it pretty much depends on what setting was used. Then again different people have different tolerances I guess, so that’s no guarantee of nothing necessarily.

By: Ron Coleman

Ron Coleman — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:35:44 +0000

Okay, David, I was going to ban you for starting up like that, but then I remembered you’re a lawyer so no one will take your characterizations of good ‘ritin’ seriously.

By: David

David — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 01:58:06 +0000

“It is a testament to great emotional desperation, the banal electronic background hum of hurting human souls.”

Unbelievably perfect prose.

By: Ara

Ara — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 21:45:06 +0000

I’ve been in Detroit the last few days while this story broke wide open. I’m shocked (but not surprised) that Kilpatrick and Beatty neglected the text trail that lead to these revelations.

By: Ron Coleman

Ron Coleman — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:18:21 +0000

Fern, I think we agree on the first point, but I am suggesting that a person who cannot control his physical urges is going to experience spiritual pain. As I alluded to in the post, I have seen some emails brought to me by clients or prospective clients (recently in the context of wrongful termination or harassment cases) that are painful to read for more than one reason. It’s not always so clear, by the way, that the longing exhibited in these emails is really physical — even if that ends up being bound up into picture.

As to your second point, it seems that you are right. Not only was there a cooling off period, but casual and innocent encounters were less likely to be roped into electronic relationships. You had to “get a phone number” or have regular in person contact to establish a connection. Still as intuitively correct as this seems, I wonder if there is any statistical information suggesting that a larger percentage of married people are involved in illicit relationships now than before.

By: Fern

Fern — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:31:45 +0000

t is a testament to great emotional desperation, the banal electronic background hum of hurting human souls.

Or total lack of control of their physical urges and extreme arrogance that they’ll never get caught.

The question is, do these electronic devices really facilitate illicit relationships, i.e., allow ones to happen that otherwise would not?

I think they cater to people with little self-control. In the past, if you couldn’t punch in every base thought into an electronic device and send it off immediately, the person who was considering something inappropriate had time to cool off and collect themselves. Now, people want instant gratification in every aspect of their life. They don’t want to wait and contemplate and see how things turn out. They want what they want and they want it right now. Blackberries and cell phones and email facilitate instant gratification.