Funny you should say that Hindog. Not half an hour I threatened...

Funny you should say that Hindog. Not half an hour I threatened someone with permanent suspension if they do not stop attacking the bears.

The other day I was reminded of a Latin expression argumentum ad hominem which literally means: "a fallacious argumentative strategy whereby genuine discussion of the topic at hand is avoided by instead attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself."

I find it fascinating that even the ancient Romans had an official expression for what it is that our moderators fight against every day. I guess that can only mean that argumentum ad hominem is an integral part of human nature so buried in our own shadow that we don't even recognize it in ourselves. For anyone interested I could probably dig out dozens of mod posts I have made over the years where I went in to defend the rights of the bear poster not because they were right or in my opinion I thought the bulls were wrong but rather the tendency is for the shareholder to use a fallacious argumentum ad hominem response to the argument of the bear poster. I never cease to be amazed at how many posters can't grasp this concept and default to the tribal view that if you aren't for us then you must be agin us. I am constantly astounded by the posters who get suspended for continual flaming and then comes back to us with the defense of "Yeah but you don't understand, I am right about the stock and they are wrong". And I am left speechless that in their minds they think this is game set and match to them.