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Please don't set up strawmen just to knock them down. It's too easy to cast everyone who has some rational scepticism as nutjob's, but that just alienates thos
by tux1968 6y ago
Please don't set up strawmen just to knock them down. It's too easy to cast everyone who has some rational scepticism as nutjob's, but that just alienates those who could otherwise be persuaded by civil discourse.
- asutekku 6y agoI'm not setting strawmen, this is my actual experience. Tech is not immune to this kind of conspiracies.
- tux1968 6y agoThere's a difference between having seen examples of it, and of it being pervasive and a dominant force. All too often, we attack the weakest arguments of our opponents and ignore the more sane opposition. There's good reason to ignore the nutjobs and focus on the rational opposition, steel-manning our foe so to speak. It makes our thinking more clear and our arguments stronger. Even bothering to oppose the insane elements by definition does not convince anyone of anything, since no sane person on either side agrees with the insanity. All it does is momentarily make us feel superior, but it's a fleeting and counterproductive endeavour.