I always link to their assertions; explore and attempt to rebut or explain them. They never link to mine and simply discredit them.
Today, from Frank Macskasy:
(Note the pathetic and largely ineffectual attempts by right wing blogger; self-proclaimed “social welfare expert”; and ex-Act candidate, Lindsay Mitchell, and one or two other National Party supporters to undermine Mike’s analysis. They are unable to address or answer even the most simple points Mike and others have raised.)
I have responded, in part to ask why he hasn't linked to my "attempts" and am currently in moderation.
The last thing I want is to sound like Metiria Turei whimpering about National's so-called "racist" attacks on her attire when she can give as good as she gets. The insults don't particularly worry me.
The poser for me is whether to bother debating with the left? Does any good come from it?
(Note
the pathetic and largely ineffectual attempts by right wing blogger;
self-proclaimed “social welfare expert”; and ex-Act candidate, Lindsay
Mitchell, and one or two other National Party supporters to undermine
Mike’s analysis. They are unable to address or answer even the most
simple points Mike and others have raised.) - See more at:
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/02/06/un-employment-under-employment-and-the-plain-unvarnished-truth/#comment-186348
10 comments:
The short answer to your question is NO
But if the masochistic streak in you needs feeding proceed with these maxims in mind.
The left's default position for an argument is one of certainty. (I am right and you are wrong.)
The left dont reason, they rationalise.
Dont expect them to react with with curiosity to ideas that challenge their own.
And when you become impervious to their stupidity and ego, you should be OK.
Keep up your good work, Lindsay.
Someone has to put the facts to counter the perception and you do it well.
The Daily Blog is intended to be a totally partisan site - I look on commenting there as entertaining mud-wrestling of the Kiwiblog or Whaleoil variety, rather than anything you could describe as "debate" (for one thing, Martyn Bradbury doesn't hesitate to delete comments from moderation if he's losing the argument, so you couldn't call it debating).
That said, you can hardly ignore it if they're bad-mouthing you in their posts. And there may be no persuading the blog authors or their more rabid commenters, but there are always a lot of lurkers who read but don't comment and that readership includes many people with a grasp on reason. (NB: this para applies to right as well as left blogs)
The Left aren't interested in the truth, Lindsay, and they are the most unprofessional of bloggers, many editing and manipulating their comment streams, blocking and censoring. The Left MO apparently.
But the extent they hate you, and try to avoid you, is the extent to which you 'hurt' them, and show them the illusion of their views. Keep getting the truth out there, and defy the Left silencing culture.
The major annoyance I have with them is their arrogance, and straight nastiness, in thinking themselves elite intellectuals, albeit undermined always by their narrow minded bigotry. They're the only group I know - and the more they subsume identity politics the worse it is - that proudly make the point they refuse to read alternative viewpoints, thinking there is some type of luddite superiority in arguing from a point of wilful ignorance. Thick as ...
Note there are some few who do not fall into this category, especially as you travel from Left politick toward anarchism, but too many do (especially the neo-Marxist feminists, who are almost always toxic, especially the males).
Against a classical liberal openness, the Left closed brethren approach to life is sickening and worrisome. How dreadful to live in a society where their rotten ethic rules.
Sorry rambling. Your every post is an exercise in free speech against the silence they wish in opposition to their archaic, coercive world view. And every one of your posts is enlightening and shiines a path to the voluntary, free society they hate so much. That's invaluable; I hope you never give up.
Hi Lindsay
I'm reminded of an ancient proverb that goes something like this:
"If a wise man (or woman) has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet."
Doesn't mean we shouldn't do it from time to time, but we should not be surprised at the response.
Keep going please. If they insult you it means you are winning.
3:16
I don't know if you can take a position of rational analysis and logic, and discuss an issue with someone whose arguments are based on emotion and who regard any dissent as a personal attack.
There are none so blind as those who cannot see reason. (Adaptation of John Heywood (1546))
End the debate...in a battle of wits you are dealing with unarmed people.
But never stop presenting the facts, they don't like them.
You can't convince them otherwise either so just do what you do and do well, and ignore the irrelevant ranters and haters that exist on TDB.
I would just ignore them and keep on with your *excellent* blog, Lindsay. IMO that is by far the best and most effective use of your time. *Everyone* knows that this blog is *THE* go-to site when it comes to welfare issues.
By focusing your efforts *here* on this blog, it is *you* who sets the ground rules.
As your own territory,
it is *your* views (and those of your supporters) that are the default here, not the rantings of the left.
Your blog occupies the high ground - the lofty peaks of reasoned and logical debate (supported by facts). I'd leave the left to wallow in their valley of self-delusion and ignorance.
History - whether 1776 or 1917 or 1951 or 1989 - shows that leftists understand no language other than force.
Entrenched leftism has only - ever - been beaten by armed revolution, invasion, or (once) by native nuclear and conventional military buildup.
So - unless you have rather more battalions than just a keyboard - no, there is no use arguing whatsoever.
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