What I've also noticed in my net travels is that the ones being mocked are often found too ditzy or rabidly obsessed with themselves to comprehend logic and reason. It's like telling a 3 year old nicely over and over not to stick her finger in an electrical socket, or touch a hot stove. That kid isn't going to get it until they get hurt, so you smack the hand(ie, mocking them) or let them damage themselves.
Um, yeah, but... is that appropriate *here*? None of us are 3-yr-olds. There's no compelling reason to correct "wrong thinking" -- no hot stoves around here that I've noticed -- and a pretty good reason to behave ourselves. It's called politeness and wanting to get along harmoniously in "mixed" company. Besides, being made fun of generally only makes people mad, in my experience. Very few if any opinions get changed.
So a certain amount of self-restraint is called for. There's a fine line between opinionated and obnoxious. We all have opinions. We just have to express them carefully, because this board is not the place to be obnoxious.
PJ
