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Ok but... While reading that, did you at any point wonder the ethnicity, gender and approximate age of the author? Because I was less than surprised when I saw

Ok but... While reading that, did you at any point wonder the ethnicity, gender and approximate age of the author? Because I was less than surprised when I saw him at the end of the article.

aaron-lebo 9y ago
The sum of identity politics: ignore valid points because of who said them. Sounds like prejudice, which you are probably against.
- Apocryphon 9y ago
  On one hand you're right, ad hominem filtering on the basis of demography is self-limiting. On the other, it's ironic because the author is a specifically controversial character: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Michael_Shermer#Accusations_of_sexual_misconduct https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Michael_Shermer#Accusations_of...
  - vormalpg 9y ago
    If you're the kind of person who dismisses anything coming from Breibart or fox news as unreliable, it's absurd to turn around and use the likes of rational wiki as a source for any kind of serious argument. It's a pure propaganda website with no editorial standard.
- samcodes 9y ago
  I didn't say to ignore his "valid points." I intentionally didn't mention the content. I was trying to point out that, if, as you read the piece, you correctly inferred metadata about the author, (a) it's funny because (b) it means there might be more to the theories he is dissmissing out of hand.
brad0 9y ago
Can I ask why you were thinking about what race/gender/ethnicity etc. he was while reading the article?
- samcodes 9y ago
  Because when someone makes the argument that "ok now discrimination has gotten out of hand" it usually is implied "... Now that I'm the target!" Which would imply the author isn't used to being the target of discrimination, which would imply middle aged white male. The point I was trying to jokingly bring up is a valid one, I think. How much of what we do leaks identity-related metadata? How much are of the responses we get are responses to that inferred metadata?
  - alexanderstears 9y ago
    Reversing injustice is still injustice. And why care about the motivation for someone to be against discrimination? I don't think Frederik Douglass was any less legitimate of an abolitionist because he was self-interested in destroying slavery.
anonmoose123 9y ago
This is liberal what racism looks like. I am not a conservative, but "I couldn't help but this the author's unfortunate skin tone affected their arguments" is racist as hell and we should never ever accept it. Ever.

Ok but... While reading that, did you at any point wonder the ethnicity, gender and approximate age of the author? Because I was less than surprised when I saw him at the end of the article.

aaron-lebo 9y ago

The sum of identity politics: ignore valid points because of who said them. Sounds like prejudice, which you are probably against.

Apocryphon 9y ago
On one hand you're right, ad hominem filtering on the basis of demography is self-limiting. On the other, it's ironic because the author is a specifically controversial character: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Michael_Shermer#Accusations_of_sexual_misconduct https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Michael_Shermer#Accusations_of...
- vormalpg 9y ago
  If you're the kind of person who dismisses anything coming from Breibart or fox news as unreliable, it's absurd to turn around and use the likes of rational wiki as a source for any kind of serious argument. It's a pure propaganda website with no editorial standard.
samcodes 9y ago
I didn't say to ignore his "valid points." I intentionally didn't mention the content. I was trying to point out that, if, as you read the piece, you correctly inferred metadata about the author, (a) it's funny because (b) it means there might be more to the theories he is dissmissing out of hand.

brad0 9y ago

Can I ask why you were thinking about what race/gender/ethnicity etc. he was while reading the article?

samcodes 9y ago
Because when someone makes the argument that "ok now discrimination has gotten out of hand" it usually is implied "... Now that I'm the target!" Which would imply the author isn't used to being the target of discrimination, which would imply middle aged white male. The point I was trying to jokingly bring up is a valid one, I think. How much of what we do leaks identity-related metadata? How much are of the responses we get are responses to that inferred metadata?
- alexanderstears 9y ago
  Reversing injustice is still injustice. And why care about the motivation for someone to be against discrimination? I don't think Frederik Douglass was any less legitimate of an abolitionist because he was self-interested in destroying slavery.

anonmoose123 9y ago

This is liberal what racism looks like. I am not a conservative, but "I couldn't help but this the author's unfortunate skin tone affected their arguments" is racist as hell and we should never ever accept it. Ever.