From: hampday@earthlink.net
Date: Wed May 11 2005 - 09:47:45 BST
Mark --
Whether as the result of a hangover or simply having experienced a bad day
on Tuesday, you made a ludicrous accusation that I wager you'll soon regret.
Although you weaseled out of naming the participant you accused of slander,
it's obvious to everyone by now that I am the tainted "second conservative"
referred to.
What does venting your personal animosity in this provocative manner
accomplish?
For one thing, it proves that MoQ loyalists are true to form in defending
their "cultist devotion to an intellectual fad" to the point of verbally
abusing their antagonists.
Secondly, it confirms my suspicion that there is, indeed, a leftist liberal
majority here with an agenda to disparage conservative ideology, and that
this effort is far more intense than the intellectual energy they apply to
resolving philosophical disputes. I found it curious that the most active
MD participants were more interested in my "political stance" than my
philosophy when I joiued this group in August of 2004. Actually, I had
always regarded politics as beneath the level of philosophical discussion.
If you'll check my posts, you'll find I've generally discouraged polemic
debates rather than fomenting them. The only political issue I raised (in
the thread on philosophical nihilism) was an incidental reference to "punk
rock". I promptly withdrew from further discussion when I saw where you
folks were going with it. I also bowed out for a couple of months when
politics appeared to be the only topic on the board.
And lastly, as you must surely be aware, politically motivated attacks on MD
contributors only serve to demonstrate the juvenile (i.e., low quality)
tactics to which certain members are capable of stooping. Such tactics
would seem to contradict your admonishment to tfp that the Randians have a
special claim on being "...more concerned with promoting just the material
interests of a minority (i.e. self/selfish orientated)", as opposed to your
liberal? view that "There are other alternatives. For example, to cut the
Gary Cooper High Noon delusions, and recognize that we are all in this
together, that cooperation, not competition, produces the highest quality
results for all." So much for magnanimity!
You've accused me of slander, Mark. That isn't a device intended to cajole
one into discussion, so your charge must be in earnest. All right, I'll
take the bait -- whom have I slandered and how?
> msh:
> In a year I've encountered precisely three conservatives on this
> list. ... One is a dogmatist who pretends to be a philosopher,
> slandering holders of divergent opinions yet refusing to bring
> primary textual support for his slander.
Not that I feel it necessary to defend my integrity, but I checked my trusty
New Collegiate Dictionary and found slander defined as: "the utterance of
false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another's
reputation."
How do you define slander? Do you feel that voicing an informed judgment
about an author or his work qualifies as slander? Do you really believe
that my "divergent opinions" regarding the MoQ have damaged Mr. Pirsig's
reputation? Or is there some other issue, unknown to me, that has you
rattled?
And kindly tell me what specific "primary textual support" I've refused to
bring to the table. My philosophy is an open book, and I've answered all
questions to the best of my ability. (While, unlike Conservative #3, I have
not shied away from engaging in discussion with you, I can now understand
why he has, and will exercise more prudence henceforth.)
Finally, when you've cleared your head sufficiently to justify these
charges, please include how you have arrived at the conclusion that I'm a
"dogmatist"? That's another first for me.
Peace (even slanderous capitalists appreciate it),
Ham
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