I'm having a hard time judging which behavior is less mature: * the student who tried to convert their own personal discomfort into the wildly exaggerated gene

I'm having a hard time judging which behavior is less mature: * the student who tried to convert their own personal discomfort into the wildly exaggerated general conclusion that your example was "pointless and useless" * the fact that you apparently cannot entertain the truism that examples which students can relate to are generally superior than ones that are difficult for them to relate to * your bizarre implied learning process where criticism and judgement are reserved only for those who already understand a concept. It's like the scientific process, except upside down. :) Two of these are under your control to change.