4 ms·
I disagree. Calling bullshit "bullshit" isn't uncivil. Cf. Paul Graham's own essay on bullshit: http://www.paulgraham.com/vb.html http://www.paulgraham.com/vb
by jemfinch 8y ago
I disagree. Calling bullshit "bullshit" isn't uncivil. Cf. Paul Graham's own essay on bullshit: http://www.paulgraham.com/vb.html http://www.paulgraham.com/vb.html . Or his 2014 tweet on political correctness: https://twitter.com/paulg/status/512776361824354304 https://twitter.com/paulg/status/512776361824354304 .
The objection that I'm being uncivil is DH2, "responding to tone". Yes, my tone is dismissive, specifically because the advice being given ought to be dismissed.
If HN has become a place where unscientific, unsound folk medicine cannot be called "bullshit" then I'll happily take my leave.
- dang 8y agoThe incivility comes more from the combination of aggression and self-righteousness. We don't need that here, and since it detracts from any true information you're conveying, there's no trade-off in simply leaving it out. (Citing pg makes the opposite point to what I think you intended; I've never once known him to behave like that, either in writing or in person.)