Mimi wrote:

>The 'we' are a few of the members who post messages.  There are many
>more just reading who do not post messages.  There is no telling what
>THEY think, unless they come out of hiding and contribute.

I am one of those who just reads (and feels that he is all the more better
for it) and does not contribute (at least usually- I did post one or two
slight enquiries). The reason for this post is just to say that my behaviour
(if one can call it that), is not prompted by a need for "hiding"... The
reason I'm articulating this is that, I think it may have to something to
do with (post)romantic aestethics which values expression as the supreme
value... Whereas I tend to think that one says (ie. expresses) something,
when one believes that it is worth saying.

I am not denying that the (post)romantic asthetics of expression has had
(and continues to have) a liberating effect... to give a personal example...
For some time I have been meaning to ask a question concerning "the meaning
of D-Minor" to the list and have not been able to do so, because I haven't
yet found a way to formulate the question in a way that is i) acceptable to
me, ii)is acceptable to the stardards that I attribute to the list. Looked
at from a purely expressionistic view of aesthetics this is no doubt a
shame; but on the other hand, I enjoy my self(?)-imposed restraint.

regards,
iskender