Ten Bear wrote:
After reading further posts, it became evident that no sane person would be making these kind of statements. They're just posting with only one rule in mind. Say whatever you want, but never, ever give in. Loosing is not an option.
In my experience talking with folks like Will, BC Space, Charity, etc. their #1 guiding principle appears to be to never concede any point, no matter how reasonable, no matter how untenable their own position is. They can concede small, obvious points and still not lose the fight, necessarily, but they refuse to do this. Willingness to concede the obvious is not a sign of weakness, and even the best arguments have flaws in them that an honstely reflective person would concede, and one can be right overall but still make certain arguments that are not well-founded.
But, if you go the rounds with the internet apologists, few of them are ever willing to make any concessions whatsoever. In other words, their arguments (no matter how much they violate common sense, or no matter how much they would never, ever make similar arguments in any other context) are, in their own minds, absolutely, positively perfect. No holes, no flaws, nothing not quite perfectly thought through. It's really an amazing spectacle.