See the back-and-forth here.
Generally, I try to be as civil as possible when it comes to internet debates. (Often is the time that I've rewritten a response simply to tone down the rhetoric and eliminate any implied derision.) Certainly, I think that it is a good thing to try and interpret your opponent's arguments in a generous light.
There are limits, though. Life's too short to spend it endlessly rebutting non sequiturs and side issues.
"At this stage, I am considering drawing you a picture though."
ReplyDeleteOuch! I guess if you are going to be harsh then it helps to also be humorous :)
Not sure why you persisted with that exchange. He obviously attacked a complete straw man to begin with and it didn't get any better from there.
ReplyDeleteThe BHL blog is sometimes good but the commenters, not so much. I remember when I linked them to a reddit survey which confirmed that libertarians are overwhelmingly straight white males, and suggested there was a connection between libertarianism and privilege. They certainly did not like that :)
Ha, I can only imagine!
DeleteDo you teach seminars on patience and zen in the blogosphere? Way to keep it together.
ReplyDelete