Thanks for the Feedback - "Compression"
Ellen Baker - Orion Ceramic Studios
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
All the feedback about the "compression"/"S-crack" topic has been
interesting, I must say. But perhaps it's time we move on.
Some replies and comments (both pro and con) were enlightened, adding value
to the discussion.
Unfortunately, a fair number of correspondents made it clear that anyone
foolish enough to openly disagree with a commonly-held belief must be held
in the public stocks to be punished for such open heresy. One person
accused, "What you are engaged in here is the subversion of understanding,"
while another wrote, "But maybe you know it all."
All this started with my saying I thought it was "hooey" that folks should
perpetuate the myth that you can "squeeze the water out of clay" through
"compression." I predicted I'd upset some apple carts, but I thought
Clayart would be a safe place to exercise intellectual freedom. I didn't
expect quite so much poison pen mail. Such a vulnerable topic!
I'd like to share a concern I voiced just today:
"When I first joined Clayart, I remember some folks writing that they
were afraid to 'get slammed' for 'rocking boats' with 'old salts' on the
list. In the six months I've been on the list, I've joined in from time to
time, feeling excited and safe to share opinions, recipes, ideas. I
believed that participation was vital to the process. I thought it would
be exciting to be in touch with peers around the world, people who could
raise challenges, not in hostility but in search of the truth. -- My
mistake?"
Having witnessed the heat of some real "cleansing fire" firsthand, I appeal
to everyone with an interest in maintaining intellectual freedom: please
keep a steady aim on the topic at hand and resist the temptation to sling
mud at those who may simply disagree with you about something.
Now let's all get on to brighter things.
Ellen Baker, Orion Ceramic Studios
or...@telcomplus.com
P.S. Of course, I'm still interested in exchanging information with any
and all folks genuinely interested in improving (our) knowledge of the
nature of clay/heatwork/etc. All ideas welcome -- e-mail directly!
Dannon Rhudy
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Oh, c'mon. "Held in the public stocks"? No. People responded
with spirit, occasional heat, obvious aggravation. And it should
be expected that they will. They disagreed with your
disagreement! You were annoyed with what you perceived as the
proliferation of common errors, which you termed "old wives
tales". Most of the responses were annoyed with your assertion
regarding the (non) "compression" of clay. Much of the whole
thing revolved around NOT what was/is happening when we "press"
on the bottom while throwing a pot, but what we CALL what is
happening when we do that. Sometimes, the common usage of a term
may be slightly (or very) different from the dictionary
definition. Debate can get pretty hot. So? We can read, not
read, respond or not - But no one is under restraint, physical
or otherwise, from anyone else on this list. You said you thought
you would get flames, you got 'em.
Clayart is as "safe" a place to exercise intellectual freedom
as any place could be. You have the freedom to say/think whatever
you wish. And so does everyone else. The "search for truth"
has always, will always, involve some hostility. It depends
whose ox is being gored, no?
Dannon Rhudy
pot...@koyote.com
....... a fair number of correspondents made it clear that anyone
foolish enough to openly disagree with a commonly-held belief must
be held
in the public stocks to be punished ..... I thought it was "hooey"
that folks should
perpetuate the myth that you can "squeeze the water out of clay"
through
"compression." I predicted I'd upset some apple carts....
Clayart ... a safe place to exercise intellectual freedom. ......
peers around the world, people who could
raise challenges, not in hostility but in search of the truth. --
Bob Hanlin
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Well, I guess that you said something that several folk disagreed with.
You must however admit you said it with a lot of authority and without much
latitude for believing otherwise.
My response dealt only with my experience. Anything outside that realm is
only mental exercise and not really of much matter until I put it into use.
So, you stuck your neck out and got smacked, so what? Life is like that!
I'm not sorry I responded the way I did, I don't know about the others but
I do know what works for me and coming from a history to a period of almost
none I'm content with the way I do it now.
Flames or fumes? The choice is yours. I'm here for information and to
broaden my knowledge. If something sounds like it might work, I'll try it.
If it works and I like it, I'll adopt it. If it flies in the face of
something I know to correct, I'll respond. How you respond to that is up
to you. It doesn't mean I don't care about you or what you think but when
you write as you did you didn't leave much room for anything but agreement
(and I didn't see any) or disagreement. So I disagreed.
Bob Hanlin
bha...@ionet.net
Oklahoma City, OK