DarkFather said:
And you know what, it's great that you have opinions that you're willing to defend tooth and nail. The problem being as I see it, the vibe from your posts aren't going to act as an easy magnet for winning anyone over to your view. From our discussions that we've had, and the reactions of others around the board to your posts that I see, that vibe is bordering on repulsive.
We're willing to see your views, but you criticize and cry havoc to ours, and then wonder why we're in turn so critical of you. What I'm getting at is that I'm skeptical that the reward you'll get after "battle" for being so insanely rigid in your views will even be worth the effort you put into it.
If you aren't willing to concede anything, if you aren't willing to relent in your views at all, the only reward in that is a self appreciation of a very lonely type.
Why should I "concede" when my view is not mistaken? I don't hold views if I think they're wrong. If I think I'm mistaken about something then I won't argue it. And if I think I'm not mistaken then I will defend my view. There's no point in me conceding when I don't feel I'm mistaken about anything. You seem to be expecting me to be hypocritical just because pretending I think I'm wrong might (in your opinion) make me more popular. I don't function like that.
As it stands, different people react differently to my posts at different times. It's not all one reaction all the time. And if some people react narrowly to my posts, intolerant of somebody who doesn't back down on their views or intolerant of somebody who thinks differently from other people, then that is their problem and it in no way proves that my posts are "repulsive".
As for me crying havoc over other people's views, that is not so. I disagree with other people when I feel it is necessary (and there is no crime in that). I am prepared to be critical of other people's views, as are most people here. I don't object to people criticizing my views. I object to people being rude and mocking and aggressive and getting personal and dismissing my views as ridiculous just because I think differently from them. I can run out of patience with other people's views after a debate has dragged on and my views are not getting a pleasant reception and other people are acting narrow-minded in reaction to my views, but I generally try to avoid giving people trouble unless they have given me trouble first. I am not more critical of other people's views than they are of mine. I do not treat people worse than I am treated. I do not "cry havoc" just because somebody has a different view than mine. Though I may get pretty pissed off if somebody concedes and then goes back on it or if a bunch of people gang up to tell me how ridiculous I am or if somebody gets personal with me.
You in particular have established that you like getting personal and offensive at the drop of a hat. And I've seen I'm not the only one you're willing to pick fights with.
As for people being willing to see my views, some people are, but sometimes some people are stubbornly unwilling to accept my way of thinking as having any chance of being valid. I would go so far as to say that sometimes some people seem almost allergic to the different mindset evident in my views. I don't mean any offense by saying this, I am just trying to describe my experience as it seems to me.
I've gotten all sorts of shit on this board and it wasn't shit I earned by "crying havoc" about other people's views. It was shit I got for having a very different mindset and having the horrific cheek to hold to my very different way of thinking when other (supposedly wiser) people told me I was wrong. People who are very different are supposed to shut up or go away or apologize for themselves all the time. Human beings have a terrible track record for tolerating difference.
I don't see how I'm being "insanely rigid" in holding to my views. I don't see you conceding all over the place whenever we have a debate. No, you hold to your views because you think they're right. I wouldn't expect you to do otherwise. It's idiotic and unjust to beat me over the head for not going around pretending I think I'm wrong all the time just to win popularity points. I take other people's views quite seriously and when they present some good evidence against mine I consider it carefully, but ultimately my veiws are very well thought-out and usually stand up to such arguments, so I don't have a lot of reason to go conceding.
If we're going to get personal like this about each others' posting behavior, maybe I should note that you seem to me to be a bully and troublemaker who has no restraint about getting personal and aggressive with people. When I first really noticed you, you were picking a fight with somebody. Then the next day you got really personally offensive with me. I seem to be your favorite target. Pick on the guy who's different, what fun. How about you just lay off?