When you switch from talking about "some people" to using one person as a prime example illustrating your opinion about the people with whom you disagree, you are using ad hominem, and your post at that point is being rude. Nothing very nonplussing about that revelation.
I'm sure you think they are accurate comments. People using ad hominems usually use that excuse. But in the end, it's opinion- and your opinion, or my opinion, of our fellow posters, is best kept to ourselves, unless we actively want to be very rude, and squash any reasonable discussion. It would be silly for me to dignify your personal ad hominems with any "discussion". My ad hominems of you, were I to make any, should no more be the topic of discussion that your ad hominems. What you personally might be an example of is no business of mine. YOU are not the subject, and should not be. It's fine to discuss ideas, or even general segments of the population that hold such ideas, and certainly it is appropriate to comment on posts- their facts, their style, the ideas within them- but when we get personal in the context of a discussion where there is disagreement it's almost always ugly, and I reject the idea that it is necessary to get personal, that it is something I should tolerate, and that it is appropriate.
It's not about victimhood. You've misunderstood me if you think that. This is about seeing rudeness, and commenting upon it, and refusing to tolerate it. Far from being victimhood I would define it as a crusade for politeness. But that's just my opinion. |
