[MD] Distinguishing Levels (Individual level)

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Platt]
Evil raises its ugly head. Arlo uses "idiotic," "asinine" and "moronic" to 
describe comments he disagrees with.  From Pirsig:

[Arlo]
Hypocrisy raises its ugly head. Yes, Arlo already apologized for forgetting 
that only you and the other "rightists" are rightly permitted to use "ad 
hominem". For everyone else, you cry foul. A good radio tactic, the 
wonderful "Pee Wee Maneuver". It's fun every time I see it.

But for the record, I did not describe a "comment I disagree with" as 
"moronic". I used that word to describe your propagandistic rhetorical 
tactics. "The self-congratulatory attempts to paint yourselves as Grand 
Warriors of Individualism and everyone else as Evil Little Marxists 
Collectivists are not only moronic, but wholly propagandistic."

As for the "individual versus collective" nonsense, I've tried to respond 
to it many, many times with civility and explanation. But in a short while 
it is always back to the propaganda and attempts to paint this as some Holy 
War, with anyone who dares disagree with the Almighty Individual being 
constantly painted as some dimwitted collectivist "incapable of having an 
original thought".

Do I find that idiotic? You bet. As Popeye says, "I've had all I can takes, 
I can't takes no more!"

So, is it "evil" when I respond in kind? Well, certainly, Platt, after all, 
I am an evil, leftist, Marxist, new-ager, hippy, traitorous state-leech 
whose goal is to toss into gulags all the freedom loving individuals in 
God's Chosen Country, and who conspires to keep open-minded conservatives 
out of the Academy. That you want to portray me as "evil" is certainly no 
surprise, you've been doing it for years. That you have the audacity to 
condemn "ad hominem" in others, is merely funny.

Arlo