What is even better than Com-posting or even composing or compose-ing, if you like?

I think the answer is Compassion.

The other day, tired of all the whining that was going on about how things were slow and bad and faulty on Open Salon, a blogmate, geared up to do something about it. He posted his plan on his blog and some people went there to say "yes" or "no".

Some people did say "yes, go ahead, am with you". Finally when he did go ahead, though, he messed up a bit. Well, not a bit, he messed up bad enough to lose his blog completely and all traces of his Open Salon existence was wiped off.

Probably he tried to change the codes to make things better.?Probably that backfired.Probably the system thought he was trying to hijack Open Salon or something sinister was going on?

Whatever it is - he lost his blog. We discovered that all his mail from all our mail boxes too had disappeared. 

You come in the morning to check your site and it is not there - if you are human, if you love your blog, you would be upset, right?

When men are upset, especially, humans that are creative, slightly different from the conventional average man on the street, their response would be in proportion to their capacity to feel and express, right?

Disco Fett was livid. He is articulate. He feels intensely. Therefore, when he responded, it was not exactly the way you or a bum like me would have responded. I am an ordinary. The best I can muster in times of excitement is a shriek and then the energy level peters out, am at a loss for words, so I go hide under the bed or simply cry.

A robust creature like Fett roared and lashed out and it was kind of large scale. His fury was a bit like Lear's. It burned a few people.

But instead of trying to 'understand' why he was doing what he was doing, instead of trying to stay quiet and let this fellow blogmate  let out steam and calm down, adjust to his loss, the people that got shouted at engaged and lashed out, and they are continuing to lecture him, perpetuating a meaningless exchange that is pointless sound and fury amounting to nothing but more bitterness.

Writer's sensitivity, artists' insight into human nature- where did all that go?

The poor man had heard a big supportive "Yes" from Scanman the other day, so he went looking for solace there and found that Scanner had been honored with an Op Ed. As is very, very human thing to do, he forgot himself and got mad. 

It was his unhappy day. It was Scanner's happy day.

Instead of saying, "Aw buddy, am so sorry this happened to you, it is ok, you don’t have to rate, let me get back from my Doc's appointment and then let's hear what went wrong and try and get this sorted if we can", Scanner, the sensitive, Scanner inadvertently lashed out at him!

Fett said, "Who convinced you to write your book? I". I don't know much about men, but I know this, when a man apologizes or when a man actually publicly says that kind of thing, it means a great deal.

They cannot cry like women, or go cry in the arms of their girl friends, they rage or sulk or get drunk or have sex or hurt themselves -  one has to do something in the throes of frustration and agony, right?

He did not just lose his blog. He also had to deal with the fact that he had made errors while working on that project. He obviously knows he made. a mistake that caused him to lose his blog.

I was surprised and sad to see so little patience, so little human understanding for this man and so much self centeredness that this person had to face. (This very community had been very generous with their support for me once).

If writers cannot FEEL, if poets cannot sense what another person must be going through, from where would good art come?

Why should we judge whether a man deserves it or not, when he is obviously in trouble?

Writing or creating art is not about intellectual masturbating. True writers are attuned to the world around them, and when they pick up their pen, they strive to give voice to the pain and frustrations of their fellowmen, comrades, blog mates, strangers met on the train. 

But as they say, the greatest gift about life is change. Life is unidirectional. So, Disco Fett, the tides will turn. 

I do not know you or your history or your geography. I do not believe to feel compassion one needs to know these things. I owe you nothing. I am a foreigner from far away that was witness to this whole drama.

I had said "yes I am with you". I feel bound by word I had given you. So I had to speak out.

I am a prole. I live in very hostile environment where every single day is a struggle for existence. I have nothing except my zuban, my word, and I like to stand by what I promise.

More than anything in the world, it is people that matter to me  and it's them that make this world go round. 

I speak out of common sense and from ordinary human feelings.

If you can keep your head now, stay calm and not give in to your  temper and call people names, you would come out of this with your head held high and a winner still.

Things may not be better or brighter in times to come, Fett, but you will have lived through this and live to tell the tale. 

PS: Emma and You both lost your blogs. Maybe that's why you wanted to reach out to her but didn't quite know how. You even wanted hers to be the shot that "killed" you in the end, and probably, it has. I hope that was some consolation in the end. Do keep writing. I love you both. Both of you bring in dynamics to this place that make it interesting being here.Emma am sorry you felt hurt. Fett, am sorry she didn't get you.