re: #339 reine.de.tout

There’s good reason for argument and differing opinions; I simply do not believe that it is necessary to resort to name calling (narcissist in chief; Nazi whore; etc.) in order to express one’s beliefs, arguments or dissent.

Mandy made the point that “narcissist” is a different sort of “name-calling”, than “Nazi whore”.

I disagree - both insults are ways to simply shut down the discussion before any discussion can take place as to WHY a person believes the insult fits. I’m more interested in knowing the process that a person used to form his/her opinion, than I am in knowing the person’s final conclusion (the insult).

And that’s one reason why I’m happy you’re here, and why I like reading you. But, as much as I agree on this as a personal strategy (I think I’m much the same), I would not use it as a yardstick to measure others by, and I don’t think you’re right in saying it always shuts down conversation. (sorry if you didn’t mean to say that); I’m just saying, I don’t hold myself back because I think it’s wrong to name call. It’s just not my thing.
And I like a couple of people both on this blog and in real life not in spite of it (if it’s not all they do), but because of it. But, none of that is true if there are no actual reasons for the vitriol, and if people persist in their hate even after it is pointed out to them that they were wrong or unfair (I don’t mean about one little point, but the whole thing). Then, I start to dislike them intensely. Not for the name calling, but for the unreasonable hatred it shows.