4 ms·
> Do you really think […] I downvoted you for this: our guidelines require you to assume the strongest interpretation of the comment you are responding to. Fro
by DiggyJohnson 4y ago
> Do you really think […]
I downvoted you for this: our guidelines require you to assume the strongest interpretation of the comment you are responding to. From my perspective, you’re comment is needlessly reactionary to a thoughtful, well stated question.
Sorry to include this lecture, but it helps my conscious to avoid drive-by downvoting. I’m very much open to a rebuttal.
- svat 4y agoThanks. In fact, I did consider the guidelines: my impulse was to write "Think about what you're suggesting […] Consider whether this really seems plausible", but I thought that's too confrontational/focuses too much on the person, and "Do you really think…" was a softer/more neutral way of phrasing it. Apparently not! (This is a different part of the guidelines than "respond to the strongest plausible interpretation" BTW: the comment very explicitly suggests non-Latin scripts not having had "much printing press and typewriter use", so I don't think there's much scope for interpretation there. And in fact, the idea is inherently a condescending and colonialist one—of Western superiority over unsophisticated "those" people—even though it may well be held innocently and stated as such. But I do take the point about not responding to the person, and responding kindly to the idea instead. Will try harder, as I think I usually do.) (BTW "reactionary" means something specific…)
- DiggyJohnson 4y agoWe still disagree, but I appreciate your reply and it is indeed logically consistent. Thanks for the explanation.