Naturally people have different expectations and qualifications based on their profession and interests. However, people need to realise that if they post something on a public forum, it can and likely will be read and commented on by a variety of people with these differences.
If questioning or asking for more information about a scientific study etc, one should always be expecting ones post to be addressed by people more knowlegdable in some field/profession then one self. People can use all the anecdotal evidence they like on forums (If if is on the Internet - it must be true), however again, they should be expected to be called on it if somebody comes along and can present scientific facts to a matter of science. (Or phillospical, religious, political or any other genre of topic)
And if people don't like it - then there is generally only one cure, which is not to post. Or at least take a couple of minutes and a few deep breaths before pushing the submit.
Whether or not it falls upon the scientists to explain better to the public or the public to learn to read the science better is a irrelevant point in my view. It is a matter of chicken and the egg when it comes to this in the grander scheme of things. (And this goes for any profession in the world)
However, we aren't talking about scientifical dissertations or similar here - we are talking people who post and read in their free time, of their own free will, for their own amusement. Not because they are paied or because they need to.
If you can't or wont read a post, then it is up to the reader himself to take it upon himself to deal with it - again I'm naturally talking within the framework of the forum rules and common netiquette here.
The reader should also be aware that his or her own personal bias, opinion, understanding of the universe might play a part in how one self understands the post. Likewise should the poster not asume that something is understandeble out of the context. ("I'll take: Stating the Obivious for 1000. Alex")
That is people should read what is written and not what one self might think is written or trying to interpretate the intent of what is written. Something I think might have gone wrong here in some of the cases, and something I myself also am guilty off at times (hey - we are all just human, flawed to the core
)Likewise though, the writer should as a rule of thumb, take it upon himself to look over the posts about to be submitted to see if it is inflamatory, or if something can be better explained, to avoid confusion.
I'm keeping this thread open for a while longer, seeing as it has cooled down again......
