[MD] now it comes

[Horse]

On 27/07/2010 13:27, plattholden at gmail.com wrote:
> On 27 Jul 2010 at 2:45, Horse wrote:
>
>    Fear? You mean anyone on the list should be scared that in more than
> 10 years the number of people that hold Bo's position about the
> intellectual level has gone from 2 to 4 (maybe 5)!!!! Yeah - scary stuff.
>
> Horse, you know as well as I do that the number of those who hold Bo's position
> is irrelevant to its validity.

Platt, I'm sure you are aware that this forum was set up to discuss the 
MoQ as proposed by Robert Pirsig. Bo has been touting his ideas for 
about 12 years on forums that I've set up and others prior to that. His 
ideas are a modification of many of Pirsigs ideas amongst people who are 
interested in discussing and extending Pirsigs ideas. In all that time 
he has managed to gain very little support for his ideas from the many 
people that have passed through here and previous incarnations of this 
list.
When and if someone has a valid and worthwhile argument in this 
environment it will gain support, especially when that argument is part 
of a forum whose main purpose is to discuss exactly the ideas that Bo 
has tried to gain support for. That it has gained such little support 
from so few in all that time is a very good indicator of its validity. 
So you're quite wrong to say that the number of those who hold Bo's 
position is irrelevant to its validity. Given this sort of environment 
it is entirely relevant.

> The possibility that Bo's position is valid appears to scare some people (not all).

It doesn't scare anyone at all - all it does is infuriate and annoy 
everyone except those very very few who appear to have been suckered in. 
There really is no fear at all of Bo's position being correct because 
the majority on this list (and the originator of the the ideas upon 
which it is based) see it as misguided, untenable, incoherent and just 
plain wrong! No fear involved at all.

> How else to explain the constant vilification of him and his supporters?

Frustration, annoyance, anger at the sheer intellectual dishonesty 
displayed in the past, (where I needed to step in), Bo's inability to 
understand basic concepts, the mangling of something dear to the hearts 
of many etc. etc. Coupled with Bo's own vilification, ad hominem attacks 
and abuse of those who don't agree with him. When you piss into the wind 
don't be surprised if you get wet!

>
>
> C'mon Platt, cut the crap. No-ones buying it - except maybe the SIMians.
> And as for vilifying Bo and those who agree with him - try taking a look
> at your tirades against anyone that dares to even mention socialism or
> promotes the academy. If you want to play the emotive game don't be
> surprised when others do the same. Talk about the pot calling the kettle
> black!
>
> If you as moderator call a halt to all personal attacks and negative innuendos
> (like Simian) I'll gladly comply. Otherwise don't expect me or anyone to roll
> over when subjected to abuse.

I've never expected you to roll over when abused - can you show me 
somewhere that I have? And given your own record of provocation, ad 
hominem attacks and abuse I haven't asked others to do similarly. 
Discussing one's core beliefs can be very emotional and when those 
beliefs, for the sake of Bo's ego, are mangled beyond recognition the 
discussion can get heated. If you don't want to be ridiculed then don't 
attempt to ridicule others - simple really.


-- 

"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
— Frank Zappa