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Is it an ad hominem attack to point out that the author is a raving racist? "For one, a solid proportion of Uber drivers are one bad day away from committing a

Is it an ad hominem attack to point out that the author is a raving racist? "For one, a solid proportion of Uber drivers are one bad day away from committing a terror attack, such as allahuakbarramming a van into pedestrians, "[0] 0 - http://www.wisdomination.com/my-islamist-uber-driver-and-modern-slavery/ http://www.wisdomination.com/my-islamist-uber-driver-and-mod...

icepat 4y ago
Not an adhom, it's valid to point out to give context to any sideways ideology that might show up. Often times these "discipline, hard world, grind" bloggers are set in a certain ideological context. So pointing that out helps contextualize what you're reading. The idea of "be careful who you take advice from". For example, I would not take advice from someone who believes: `Impostor syndrome – Pangs of realistic self-reflection in impostors.` or: `Harassment (sexual) – Flirting attempts by ugly, short, fat, poor, or otherwise undesirable men.` or: `Misogyny – Women who hate men imagining that men hate them back.` or: `Planned parenthood – An eugenics programme posing as a human rights campaign` or: https://www.wisdomination.com/the-breathing-cure-for-depression/ https://www.wisdomination.com/the-breathing-cure-for-depress... That breathing better is a cure for depression. People who hold really toxic, and in this case overtly Misogyny beliefs, tend to leak it into the rest of their advice and writings. Adhom would be attacking them for it to detail the argument. Rather, you're just indicating "this guy has some horrible beliefs, be careful". Which is valid when you're getting the kind of exposure a HN top post does.
- badcppdev 4y ago
  Thank for that clear response. There probably is an argument that different approaches work for different people. And the things you write about might help someone else decide if your advice might work for them
TAKEMYMONEY 4y ago
"Sensationalist news" plus the terrible writing in general was a tell. I guess this is so old the "fake news!" cliché wasn't popular yet? Their Twitter is currently ranting about "unstable schizoneurotic bullies, currently trans allied" so not an expert in psychological advice I'm guessing...
draw_down 4y ago
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rootusrootus 4y ago
Yes, of course it is, unless you can draw a connection between a comment like that and what they're writing in this article. Then it would be totally legitimate.
- badcppdev 4y ago
  Well I think it's always legitimate to call out racist behaviour. Just not sure of the best way to do that.
  - rootusrootus 4y ago
    Do you think that someone with racist beliefs is incapable of having legitimate opinions on unrelated things? Or that it makes them a monster worth shunning altogether? If this was a discussion about his Uber article, then I think it would be entirely on point to suggest that he appears to have a biased view that may call into question his conclusions. I went and read that article since you mentioned it, and I thought it was halfway interesting. Controversial, opinionated, unfair to some Muslims for sure, but he did raise some legitimate points. Shouting him down as racist would be easy, but I think the cultural questions are very legitimate in the modern, diverse world we live in. Even if they're uncomfortable. Plus, the point nearer the end sounds very legitimate on it's face. Is it true that there are a fleet of really nice cars being driven by people who seem unlikely to be granted the funds to buy them, and then used for ride sharing? If that is in fact true, it would indeed be good to know why. I'd argue that the economics of Uber should make organized crime uninterested, but maybe I'm very wrong.
    - godshatter 4y ago
      > Do you think that someone with racist beliefs is incapable of having legitimate opinions on unrelated things? Or that it makes them a monster worth shunning altogether? Exactly. Take what you like from what they wrote, skip the rest. These constant attempts to mark people as good or evil with no in-between disturbs me greatly. It's possible for a racist to change their stripes. I know because I did it. I grew up in a household that was otherwise normal but my dad had very racist views against blacks. I had normalized that growing up, and over time I managed to change it. It helped that the first African American I ever met turned out to be one of the most interesting people I had ever met. It's possible for a racist to actually have important things to say on topics other than race. It's possible a person with racist views is otherwise a good person, they just need to work on themselves a little more. And, sure, it's possible they will never move past it or worse will let it consume them. Life isn't simple.
shove 4y ago
Yeah, I was reading part 2 of the linked article and came across another example ... :(
- fknorangesite 4y ago
  It took me about 30s to find many examples of racist shit opinions on that site. Just check out his "accurate definitions" page - or don't, if you don't want to bother filling your eyes with horseshit.
electrosphere 4y ago
Sounds like the blog author wrote an emotional response to that Uber journey. Not everyone from that background has such backward views, most are moderate, some are progressive.
anigbrowl 4y ago
Can't say I'm surprised given the baity blog title. Sites like this are always 'tune out the noise (but not my blog, pls sign up for daily emails etc. etc).'
recuter 4y ago
There are approximately ~2000 terror attacks of this nature across the globe with death tolls of ~10k in a given year. Occasionally it makes the news in rather dramatic and memorable fashion for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Nice_truck_attack https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Nice_truck_attack Immigrants from these troubled hotspots often end up in jobs such as cab/uber drivers. Can you please explain without hyperbole/intentional obtuseness which part you find disagreeable? And which race do you think is being referenced? Nowhere in your link is he advocating for anything except proper vetting of drivers. I'm quite sure it extends to filtering out not only potential jihadis but also far right extremists and mentally unstable people.
- badcppdev 4y ago
  2000 terror attacks a year. That would be 6 a day. I'll bet you can't give me 6 links for the last month.
  - recuter 4y ago
    What planet do you live on? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_terrorist_incidents_by_country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_terrorist_incidents_... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Terrorism_Index#By_country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Terrorism_Index#By_coun...
justincredible 4y ago
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boring_twenties 4y ago
In part 2 of the article under discussion, there's this gem: > In porn, they don’t ask a girl fresh off the street to do anal with five black bodybuilders (high five, guys!). It starts with tasteful semi-nudes (“Hey, it’s a legit modeling job”), then semi-tasteful nudes….you get the idea. WTF
- Taurenking 4y ago
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icepat 4y ago

Not an adhom, it's valid to point out to give context to any sideways ideology that might show up. Often times these "discipline, hard world, grind" bloggers are set in a certain ideological context. So pointing that out helps contextualize what you're reading. The idea of "be careful who you take advice from". For example, I would not take advice from someone who believes: `Impostor syndrome – Pangs of realistic self-reflection in impostors.` or: `Harassment (sexual) – Flirting attempts by ugly, short, fat, poor, or otherwise undesirable men.` or: `Misogyny – Women who hate men imagining that men hate them back.` or: `Planned parenthood – An eugenics programme posing as a human rights campaign` or: https://www.wisdomination.com/the-breathing-cure-for-depression/ https://www.wisdomination.com/the-breathing-cure-for-depress... That breathing better is a cure for depression. People who hold really toxic, and in this case overtly Misogyny beliefs, tend to leak it into the rest of their advice and writings. Adhom would be attacking them for it to detail the argument. Rather, you're just indicating "this guy has some horrible beliefs, be careful". Which is valid when you're getting the kind of exposure a HN top post does.

badcppdev 4y ago
Thank for that clear response. There probably is an argument that different approaches work for different people. And the things you write about might help someone else decide if your advice might work for them

TAKEMYMONEY 4y ago

"Sensationalist news" plus the terrible writing in general was a tell. I guess this is so old the "fake news!" cliché wasn't popular yet? Their Twitter is currently ranting about "unstable schizoneurotic bullies, currently trans allied" so not an expert in psychological advice I'm guessing...

draw_down 4y ago

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rootusrootus 4y ago

Yes, of course it is, unless you can draw a connection between a comment like that and what they're writing in this article. Then it would be totally legitimate.

badcppdev 4y ago
Well I think it's always legitimate to call out racist behaviour. Just not sure of the best way to do that.
- rootusrootus 4y ago
  Do you think that someone with racist beliefs is incapable of having legitimate opinions on unrelated things? Or that it makes them a monster worth shunning altogether? If this was a discussion about his Uber article, then I think it would be entirely on point to suggest that he appears to have a biased view that may call into question his conclusions. I went and read that article since you mentioned it, and I thought it was halfway interesting. Controversial, opinionated, unfair to some Muslims for sure, but he did raise some legitimate points. Shouting him down as racist would be easy, but I think the cultural questions are very legitimate in the modern, diverse world we live in. Even if they're uncomfortable. Plus, the point nearer the end sounds very legitimate on it's face. Is it true that there are a fleet of really nice cars being driven by people who seem unlikely to be granted the funds to buy them, and then used for ride sharing? If that is in fact true, it would indeed be good to know why. I'd argue that the economics of Uber should make organized crime uninterested, but maybe I'm very wrong.
  - godshatter 4y ago
    > Do you think that someone with racist beliefs is incapable of having legitimate opinions on unrelated things? Or that it makes them a monster worth shunning altogether? Exactly. Take what you like from what they wrote, skip the rest. These constant attempts to mark people as good or evil with no in-between disturbs me greatly. It's possible for a racist to change their stripes. I know because I did it. I grew up in a household that was otherwise normal but my dad had very racist views against blacks. I had normalized that growing up, and over time I managed to change it. It helped that the first African American I ever met turned out to be one of the most interesting people I had ever met. It's possible for a racist to actually have important things to say on topics other than race. It's possible a person with racist views is otherwise a good person, they just need to work on themselves a little more. And, sure, it's possible they will never move past it or worse will let it consume them. Life isn't simple.

shove 4y ago

Yeah, I was reading part 2 of the linked article and came across another example ... :(

fknorangesite 4y ago
It took me about 30s to find many examples of racist shit opinions on that site. Just check out his "accurate definitions" page - or don't, if you don't want to bother filling your eyes with horseshit.

electrosphere 4y ago

Sounds like the blog author wrote an emotional response to that Uber journey. Not everyone from that background has such backward views, most are moderate, some are progressive.

anigbrowl 4y ago

Can't say I'm surprised given the baity blog title. Sites like this are always 'tune out the noise (but not my blog, pls sign up for daily emails etc. etc).'

recuter 4y ago

There are approximately ~2000 terror attacks of this nature across the globe with death tolls of ~10k in a given year. Occasionally it makes the news in rather dramatic and memorable fashion for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Nice_truck_attack https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Nice_truck_attack Immigrants from these troubled hotspots often end up in jobs such as cab/uber drivers. Can you please explain without hyperbole/intentional obtuseness which part you find disagreeable? And which race do you think is being referenced? Nowhere in your link is he advocating for anything except proper vetting of drivers. I'm quite sure it extends to filtering out not only potential jihadis but also far right extremists and mentally unstable people.

badcppdev 4y ago
2000 terror attacks a year. That would be 6 a day. I'll bet you can't give me 6 links for the last month.
- recuter 4y ago
  What planet do you live on? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_terrorist_incidents_by_country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_terrorist_incidents_... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Terrorism_Index#By_country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Terrorism_Index#By_coun...

justincredible 4y ago

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boring_twenties 4y ago

In part 2 of the article under discussion, there's this gem: > In porn, they don’t ask a girl fresh off the street to do anal with five black bodybuilders (high five, guys!). It starts with tasteful semi-nudes (“Hey, it’s a legit modeling job”), then semi-tasteful nudes….you get the idea. WTF

Taurenking 4y ago
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