Do posters intend to hurt the feelings of other members?

@whart  I agree. No single term, moniker or stereotype is sufficient to characterize an individual much less a generation.

But that does not mean that there aren't trends and characteristics among generations that shape the cultures they live in.

I would also say that your sample group, post graduate students, is a small sample and pretty much selected for successful and hard working types.

The truth is that 'micro-aggressions" and "trigger words" are first world luxuries........if not neuroses. 

Neurosis is always a substitute for legitimate suffering.

Carl Jung

@n80--True. I guess my point was that when you engage with people in person, particularly one on one, or in small enough groups that you can have a conversation, people are more alike than different in some ways. You find commonality. And, to come full circle, that may be where communication on the Internet falls short. Sure, we join here in a common pursuit, but it is different than talking in person. Though, truth be told, when I was involved in an audio club back in the day, not much serious business got done. We did have a good time, though. 

As I'm sure you've noticed Celander, and why you posted this, there is an abundance of lack of regard for others on Audiogon. I have no idea why on a high end audio forum low end, intentionally rude and hurtful interactions are tolerated.

My solution would be for the moderators to suspend offenders and then expel repeat offenders. That would in my opinion make Audiogon a more pleasant place to visit, and attract more participants. To my mind this is the best site for discussion of high end audio with others who enjoy the same. There's no reason to be put off by hurtful or derogatory comments directed at others. Intolerable behavior simply shouldn't be tolerated. Those are my thoughts on this subject anyway. 

Mike

I think Audigon needs more moderator attention as well but I think there has to be an expectation by the owners of the site that it will be civil and cordial.

I also think the moderators would need to pay close attention to context. This takes a lot of work on their part but I have had several posts deleted when the content was obviously intended to be humorous and on one occasion it was a Monty Python quote.

The moderator involvement would need to be more interactive as well. In other words, not just deleting posts without explanation. They would need to guide discussion when necessary, delete posts when necessary, suspend or remove offenders when necessary.

It seems to me that many of the elder (long time posters) seem to cut one another a lot of slack in heated debates. Newbies, not so much...