Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I'm not weaseling out of anything. Your whole idea here is stupid, from top to bottom. You have a stupid abstract idea. It's stupid because it's not science, because it's incoherent, because it's impossible to execute, and also -- here is the point I was getting to most recently -- because however attractive to you it may be in the abstract, it's fundamental stupidity is revealed when you try to find a concrete application.
On the very last point, prove me wrong: Describe a single meaningful and useful practical application of your abstract principle.
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It's not stupid if my aim was to expose that, like Klein, you think you have the right to decide what sorts of skepticism and defenses may be raised and what ones shall be taboo.
You've proved it by pivoting to the argument, "your idea is stupid." The personal responsibility analysis discussed might indeed be stupid. Or it might not be. But how would we know unless it was aired? You'll never admit it, but it's inescapable: You believe in gatekeepers, and you think your sensibilities of what's stupid and what's taboo are decent ones to be applied. I think that's pretty arrogant, and more than a little Trumpian.
ETA: Holy shit... In 30 seconds of Googling, here's a study of data on exactly the types of issues discussed by Harris and Klein.
https://socialequity.duke.edu/sites/...%20REPORT_.pdf Exactly the type of data you said could not be assessed. And to boot -- it supports the argument that personal responsibility is not a cause of the disadvantages referenced within it (wealth disparity).
Now it's time for you to subtly shift your position from "It can't be done or shouldn't be done" to, "See, it's pointless to do it. As you can see from this study (in which they do it), it proves that Harris was wrong to even consider personal responsibility."
You're going to contradict yourself on so many levels in the next post, let me just distill this to a neat final point: It's always a good thing to ask questions - to test things. And arguing against that is really, really stupid.
(I was not holding this to rope a dope you. I really found it in 30 seconds.)
