Being nice to people on blogs
As many people many times in many places on the internet have pointed out, often the point of an argument is not to convince the person one is debating, but the fence sitters.
Economics is all about the margins, yeah?
To that extent, ridiculing someone for their point of view very well may be more effective than addressing their point of view, particularly if you have a hard time taking their points seriously in the first place, or if they are consistently wrong and militant about it, or demagogues of victimhood.
Some points of view are not really worth entertaining for longer than it takes to dismiss them with a "pshaw."
There's definitely a line, but calling someone on being wrong more often than not doesn't cross it in my book.
Economics is all about the margins, yeah?
To that extent, ridiculing someone for their point of view very well may be more effective than addressing their point of view, particularly if you have a hard time taking their points seriously in the first place, or if they are consistently wrong and militant about it, or demagogues of victimhood.
Some points of view are not really worth entertaining for longer than it takes to dismiss them with a "pshaw."
There's definitely a line, but calling someone on being wrong more often than not doesn't cross it in my book.
posted by Larry at
10/21/2007 08:09:00 AM
4 Comments:
Perhaps this is tangential...but,
Much of this posting reminds me of the constant stream of passive aggressive behavior that I see in all facets of American life.
The lengths to which people will go to not have to address something directly is staggering, and when a person does stand up for something, they are generally viewed negatively as overly aggressive.
People would rather talk about how wrong you are from the safe confines of "behind your back", rather than actually have to bear the burden of proof in any real way.
It may not feel great at the time, but learning you were wrong about something also means that you may no longer be wrong about that thing. Personal growth often stings...
Can you think of any examples of when you've done this? Effectively?
Or did you just lose your temper and make everyone uncomfortable. :)
Hey Larry, you still around?
you hadn't posted in a while...
Still around, just been a little busy....
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