RMS -vs- Doctor, on the evils of Natalism

The Context:

The kabuki-west mailing list is for planning dinners and get-togethers the San Francisco Bay Area. Somebody made the horrible mistake of posting a baby announcement, and RMS replied, at his finest. Predictably, much back-and-forth flamage followed, so I waited for it to die down, then ran RMS's original message through the DOCTOR program in Gnu Emacs, and sent the resulting analysis back to the mailing list.

RMS's Natalism Flame:

Date: Sun, 21 Feb 93 15:14:50 -0500
From: rms@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman)
To: mcuddy@ctbu.rational.com
Cc: kabuki-west@mica.berkeley.edu
Subject: Another mcuddy..

Could people please not use this list to announce information of no particular interest to the people on the list? Hundreds of thousands of babies are born every day. While the whole phenomenon is menacing, one of them by itself is not newsworthy. Nor is it a difficult achievement--even some fish can do it. (Now, if you were a seahorse, it would be more interesting, since it would be the male that gave birth.)

Following your example, I might send the list an announcement whenever a new GNU program is written. That happens less often than babies are born, it does the world a lot more good, it reflects more conscious creativity and hard work, and some of the readers might actually find the information useful. Even so, I think most of the readers would consider this outside the scope and purpose of the list. Clearly that goes double for babies.

Of course, we have another place for announcements of new GNU programs. If some people like to read birth announcements, perhaps you should set up a suitable list or newsgroup. Perhaps rec.births? (While you're at it, start rec.deaths for obituaries--they're usually more interesting to read.)

These birth announcements also spread the myth that having a baby is something to be proud of, which fuels natalist pressure, which leads to pollution, extinction of wildlife, poverty, and ultimately mass starvation.

Perhaps the people who have decided to have no children should start making proud announcements, so as to set a better example. I could start. I'm sure everyone on this list will be glad to know I don't plan to reproduce myself.

Kabuki-West Replies:

In summary:

The Doctor Replies:

Date: Wed, 10 Mar 93 22:46 EST
From: Don Hopkins <hopkins@bongo.garnet.cs.cmu.edu>
To: rms%gnu.ai.mit.edu@ecp.garnet.cs.cmu.edu
Cc: mcuddy%ctbu.rational.com@ecp.garnet.cs.cmu.edu,
        kabuki-west%mica.berkeley.edu@ecp.garnet.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: The doctor replies ...

I am the psychotherapist. Please, describe your problems. Each time you are finished talking, type RET twice.

  Date: Sun, 21 Feb 93 15:14:50 -0500
  From: rms@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman)
  To: mcuddy@ctbu.rational.com
  Cc: kabuki-west@mica.berkeley.edu
  Subject: Another mcuddy..

Are you annoyed that Stallman is emotionally stimulating?

Could people please not use this list to announce information of no particular interest to the people on the list?

Maybe your plans have something to do with this.

Hundreds of thousands of babies are born every day.

Is it because of your life that you are going through all this?

While the whole phenomenon is menacing, one of them by itself is not newsworthy.

What happened when the whole phenomenon is menacing one of them by itself is not newsworthy?

Nor is it a difficult achievement--even some fish can do it.

How do you reconcile the people you hang around with?

(Now, if you were a seahorse, it would be more interesting, since it would be the male that gave birth.)

Can you elaborate on that?

Following your example, I might send the list an announcement whenever a new GNU program is written.

What would happen if a new gnu program is written?

That happens less often than babies are born, it does the world a lot more good, it reflects more conscious creativity and hard work, and some of the readers might actually find the information useful.

Is it because happens less often than babies are born it does the world a lot more good it reflects more conscious creativity and hard work and some of the readers might actually find the information useful that you came to me?

Even so, I think most of the readers would consider this outside the scope and purpose of the list.

Perhaps this has something to do with problems at school?

Clearly that goes double for babies.

When did you first know that goes double for babies?

Of course, we have another place for announcements of new GNU programs.

Have you been scared of that?

If some people like to read birth announcements, perhaps you should set up a suitable list or newsgroup.

Do you really think people might want to read birth?

Perhaps rec.births?

Possibly any hobbies you have are related to this.

(While you're at it, start rec.deaths for obituaries--they're usually more interesting to read.)

This is not a healthy way of thinking.

These birth announcements also spread the myth that having a baby is something to be proud of, which fuels natalist pressure, which leads to pollution, extinction of wildlife, poverty, and ultimately mass starvation.

Is the fact that having a baby is something to be proud of which fuels natalist pressure which leads to pollution extinction of wildlife poverty and ultimately mass starvation the real reason?

Perhaps the people who have decided to have no children should start making proud announcements, so as to set a better example.

Is it because of your sex life that you are going through all this?

I could start.

Is it because of hangups you have that you say you could start?

I'm sure everyone on this list will be glad to know I don't plan to reproduce myself.

How do you reconcile your inhibitions?

RMS Replies:

(Just 15 minutes after I sent him the doctor's reply!)

Date: Wed, 10 Mar 93 23:01:18 -0500
From: rms@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman)
To: hopkins@bongo.garnet.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Re: The doctor replies ...

Funny.

Date: Wed, 10 Mar 93 23:48:54 -0500
From: rms@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Richard Stallman)
To: hopkins@bongo.garnet.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Re: The doctor replies ...

Did the responses really come from doctor, or did you enhance them by hand?

Date: Thu, 11 Mar 93 00:56 EST
From: hopkins (Don Hopkins)
To: rms%gnu.ai.mit.edu@ecp.garnet.cs.cmu.edu
Subject: The doctor replies ...

Pure doctor.el replies -- the indentation was changed to protect the margins. However I did delete a few of the uninteresting or repetitive doctor replies and try again, but most of the replies were funny enough the first time to keep. The first reply to your name in the headers was rigged into the doctor program itself (as to who wrote that code I cannot speculate), but I think the last few replies are a clear indication that emacs is a truly artificial intelligence.

-Don