Some percentage of people are reactively contrarian. Having these people around is useful because then there is always a representative of the unpopular opinion

Some percentage of people are reactively contrarian. Having these people around is useful because then there is always a representative of the unpopular opinion. Having to deal with both extremes will lead to a more stable end-solution. An intellectual forum should not just tolerate dissent, it should embrace it. Thought is just a comparison between two opposing possibilities - and how can we claim to think if we only allow a single possibility, a single way, and a single type? Not everybody is nice. It's that way in the world, it's that way in the books, and it will be that way on these here internets. And don't kid yourself and assume I am smart - I'm as dumb as the next guy - I'm just talented in packaging my dumbness in nicer words.