[MD] guidebook/primer

[david buchanan]

Ian said:
The main pitfall I am trying to avoid is to have some invisible "inner 
circle" hierarchy based only on
association with "the head of the church".

dmb says:
Ever heard of a "push poll"? They are widely used in politics. It is 
designed to look like an opinion survey, but the questions are constructed 
to manipulate opinions rather than elicit them. Your comments here (as well 
as the previous questions concerning the weight of Ant's academic 
achievements) is a pretty good example of this sort of manipulation. Based 
only on association? Head of the church? An invisible inner circle? All this 
is transparent as hell. You're operating on the assumption that Ant is some 
kind of illegitimate cult leader. I suppose Doc McWatt could have me so 
under his control, so hypnotized by his charisma that I just can't see it, 
but I'll try to keep an open mind when reading your explanation. Maybe you 
can help me get out from under his powerful influence. Go ahead. Give it a 
shot. Please explain. Convine me that this "main pitfall" is real. Show me 
that what you're saying here is something other than what it looks like to 
me. It looks like slanderous lies and manipulative bullshit to me. If I was 
Ant, I would feel pretty insulted by all this. It looks like you're trying 
to hurt his feelings and minimize his voice out of petty jealousy or spite 
or something. Seriously, what reason is there to fear this "main pitfall" of 
yours?

It probably wouldn't bother me so much, except I've seen this same pattern 
of behaviour in our private conversations. (Please don't pretend that you 
don't know what I'm talking about.) I'm finding it hard to respect this. I 
think you're being quite the wanker. But maybe I'm wrong so go ahead, give 
it a shot. Convince me that your concern is real, that it has some basis in 
reality.

dmb

P.S. I waited for you all day behind the bike shed. Where were you, you big 
chicken? Its okay. It all worked out. As it turned out, I met some 
Congressional pages when they ducked behind the shed to smoke a fatty and 
they were a lot of fun to hang out with. We all got high and had a big orgy. 
It was great. We had a lot of laughs about the whole Tom Foley thing too. 
They told me about the "Bacon Society". Apparently, Francis Bacon was really 
into pages 400 years ago, thus the name, but the tradition really goes back 
much further than that. Anyway, you should have been there. Wish I could 
remember that joke they told me. Something about breakfast meats and the 
scientific method, but I don't recall the punchline.

P.S.S. What are you wearing?

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