General Discussion

Kurovski

(34,657 posts)

25. Part of another comment:

Mon Mar 25, 2013, 05:50 AM

Mar 2013

"The thing I never bought about the labeling of statements as "the tone argument" is that most people who mention it ignore the point of debate in this particular context - not just to distinguish fact from falsehood, but also to effect social change.

Obviously the emotion or style with which something is said does not affect its truth-value. But it does affect the penetrative ability of the truths you may be attempting to impart, by discouraging would-be debaters and discrediting yourself to people who might be more amenable to your views.

The only problem with criticizing tone is when it is used as a substitute for criticizing a position - in other words, as an emotional argument rather than as a legitimate critique of a person's willingness to engage in constructive discussion..."

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

131 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Online Bullying � a New and Ugly Sport for Liberal Commenters--The UK Guardian--Oct. 2012 [View all] Kurovski Mar 2013 OP

I think we need to reflect on what we do as a community more. Kurska Mar 2013 #1

I like how the author ended the article: Kurovski Mar 2013 #3

Very good end to the article and yeah that is a little funny bout the names. n/t Kurska Mar 2013 #5

Well said. n/t OneGrassRoot Mar 2013 #23

What I've noticed over the past year is a species of self-righteous mob behavior Hekate Mar 2013 #2

Or how about that old couple in Florida whose address was tweeted as being George Zimmerman's JVS Mar 2013 #4

Yes, that too. Those innocent people could have been killed. Hekate Mar 2013 #6

There's been plenty of self-righteous mob behavior right here on DU. n/t L0oniX Mar 2013 #65

Yes there is. nt Mojorabbit Mar 2013 #131

It is the reaction that must be expected when the rule of law has failed. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #102

If only we liberals were less mean, things could get done. bleever Mar 2013 #7

I only give up being mean for lent, so I should talk. Kurovski Mar 2013 #9

Yes. sibelian Mar 2013 #8

+10000 to that. MattSh Mar 2013 #21

Bringing it back home I am reminded of Meta... Demo_Chris Mar 2013 #10

It definitely could have applied to Meta. pacalo Mar 2013 #12

And to the current threads on the election of the new Pope Sherman A1 Mar 2013 #18

For sure! pacalo Mar 2013 #19

What I find disturbing Sherman A1 Mar 2013 #20

for reference RainDog Mar 2013 #106

Pope and Catholic are on my auto-hide list. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 #44

I hide no one and nothing. Demo_Chris Mar 2013 #47

Do you feel a need to read the table of contents UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 #48

Point taken, but I am sure you understand mine as well Demo_Chris Mar 2013 #49

I do. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 #50

After reading the OP, I thought meta also. HappyMe Mar 2013 #46

So, you're against self-righteousness?1! pacalo Mar 2013 #86

I'm probably on there. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #103

No, you aren't on my ignore list. HappyMe Mar 2013 #110

Sounds like a good idea. I didn't know you could do that. JDPriestly Mar 2013 #115

At the top right, click on HappyMe Mar 2013 #116

Absolutely get the red out Mar 2013 #52

yup, my reaction is to just trash the "privilege" threads quinnox Mar 2013 #11

I think I'm going to go back to trashing all threads related to rape. pacalo Mar 2013 #13

I feel the same way quinnox Mar 2013 #14

I started to wonder if I was one of the few who didn't get the super-secret memo about some pacalo Mar 2013 #15

you and me both quinnox Mar 2013 #17

This article is crap. mattclearing Mar 2013 #16

It's not about "telling some right-wing asshat that they benefit from privilege" muriel_volestrangler Mar 2013 #31

Perhaps. mattclearing Mar 2013 #70

Yep. Progressives being mean is a huge issue... desth threats, rape threats, and redqueen Mar 2013 #41

. UnrepentantLiberal Mar 2013 #45

Thanks. mattclearing Mar 2013 #72

It looks like an observation on the part of the author. I think she says so in the text. Kurovski Mar 2013 #100

I tend to agree with you wryter2000 Mar 2013 #54

Her vagueness seems to suit people just fine... redqueen Mar 2013 #66

Yep. mattclearing Mar 2013 #74

The tolerant of my intolerance argument occurred to me as well. mattclearing Mar 2013 #73

We have to point out insensitivity until people everywhere learn to express themselves in ways that sibelian Mar 2013 #75

That's ok. mattclearing Mar 2013 #95

Not everyone uses words with the same intent. Kurovski Mar 2013 #96

Agreed. mattclearing Mar 2013 #97

It's insane. Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #22

Here is one of the 446 comments I read. Kurovski Mar 2013 #24

Part of another comment: Kurovski Mar 2013 #25

It's very odd in that we are seeing an ever-widening gap between rich and poor Kurovski Mar 2013 #26

It's from half a year ago Turborama Mar 2013 #40

You are not alone in your observations... Old and In the Way Mar 2013 #56

A few weeks ago on "Up With Chris Hayes" Kurovski Mar 2013 #71

well said....a great article backwoodsbob Mar 2013 #27

I "quit" for many months because it seems ridiculous to argue with people I mostly agree with... KittyWampus Mar 2013 #58

One of the big ones: The Straight Story Mar 2013 #28

Pretty Much Explains... KharmaTrain Mar 2013 #29

Remember when DU didn't suck? TransitJohn Mar 2013 #30

I think META exposed well the dark side of DU The Straight Story Mar 2013 #32

Excellent article. 99Forever Mar 2013 #33

Interesting. I believe every responder to the OP up to this point is male. nt Zorra Mar 2013 #34

that has what to do with what exactly? backwoodsbob Mar 2013 #35

That's kind of the fault line that is being exploited here. Old and In the Way Mar 2013 #57

LOL RZM Mar 2013 #36

I read a lot. And the point is, I find it interesting that that Zorra Mar 2013 #38

Just as most that seem fixated on it seem to be or where raised upper class and white. TheKentuckian Mar 2013 #42

I find it interesting that you can be so sure of gender just by user names. yellowcanine Mar 2013 #55

User names actually have little or nothing to do with it, Zorra Mar 2013 #104

I think you are blowing smoke. yellowcanine Mar 2013 #111

maybe the fact this article quoted in the OP was written by a woman should be of interest then too quinnox Mar 2013 #37

That it is. nt Zorra Mar 2013 #39

Wow. You are better than me at figuring out someone's sex from their username (nt) Nye Bevan Mar 2013 #43

I'm sorry, I believe you are making somewhat irrelevant assumptions. nt Zorra Mar 2013 #105

You mean like the sex of the posters? (nt) The Straight Story Mar 2013 #108

Touche. pacalo Mar 2013 #125

It isn't true, and you could have checked it. Kurovski Mar 2013 #76

"It's an invitation to rumble." pacalo Mar 2013 #80

Please, allow me to spell it out for you. I'm sorry if my online technique of communicating may be Zorra Mar 2013 #107

I think you missed the crux of the OP and the problems people here on DU are having The Straight Story Mar 2013 #109

Yes, good points, but every day we see examples in the news of Zorra Mar 2013 #121

Well I say Thank You - for one of the better replies here The Straight Story Mar 2013 #122

You make a lot of assumptions about the motivations of other people. yellowcanine Mar 2013 #113

I spent an hour composing a response, and lost it with a finger slip. Gaaa! Kurovski Mar 2013 #119

Maybe some people just don't want to kick it. pintobean Mar 2013 #114

Imported meta from another site without any geek tragedy Mar 2013 #51

Want a good example? The outrage from many DU'ers when Southern Fried Chicken, Collards etc KittyWampus Mar 2013 #59

Sounds yummy. Just missing some BBQ and yams. nt geek tragedy Mar 2013 #60

Well, this Cracker ate/eats a lot of that under moss-draped oaks beside big breezy lakes. Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #61

Soul food doesn't care what color is the soul's body. GoCubsGo Mar 2013 #87

Heirloom peas w/ a little ham used to be cheap. Now you can't find 'em. Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #93

LMAO... your subject line cut off after 'chicken'... so I thought you were going to mention redqueen Mar 2013 #64

OMG, I remember that brou-ha-ha WolverineDG Mar 2013 #82

"Online bullying - a New and Ugly Sport for Liberal Commenters" yellowcanine Mar 2013 #53

I guess I'll be the first to mention liberals with guns. Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #62

Say what? yellowcanine Mar 2013 #63

Sorry for the crypnotic effect. Everyone was talking... Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #94

I knew what you meant. Kurovski Mar 2013 #98

I guess I didn't get it because I don't accept your premise. yellowcanine Mar 2013 #99

Well, great. I'm reassured that 2A advocates are just that, Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #101

To call asking for more regulation of guns "bullying" degrades the term. yellowcanine Mar 2013 #112

Don't buy your arguments in their face... Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #117

NRA is not irrelevant because "pro-2A" is an NRA talking point. yellowcanine Mar 2013 #118

Please. You are so tendentious; talk about cheapening the term "bully." Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #120

Nice - "I will end this conversation... good day." but BTW - here is 1 more dig. yellowcanine Mar 2013 #123

You try editing for flow & structure with a piece if crap smart phone. Eleanors38 Mar 2013 #126

It's cute how she acts ike lliberals are unique. redqueen Mar 2013 #67

Authors almost never create the titles of their articles. An editor does, Kurovski Mar 2013 #77

What a bunch of bullshit. Zoeisright Mar 2013 #68

Well that's just skipping around the issue, really isn't it? sibelian Mar 2013 #69

I think "Bullying" is overused and misused, but that's my opinion and I've lived long Kurovski Mar 2013 #79

Self-delete WilliamPitt Mar 2013 #78

I remember this guy on DU who posted about taking his favorite girl at the time out for an expensive KittyWampus Mar 2013 #81

Was that... Kurovski Mar 2013 #88

And if I remembered every slight, I'd be a ball of rage. WilliamPitt Mar 2013 #90

She's an author who has seen too many readers' comments derailing the subject matter pacalo Mar 2013 #83

here is what cshe says: Kurovski Mar 2013 #85

As a Meta survivor (heh), I found her observations were right on the money. pacalo Mar 2013 #89

She pretty much nailed Meta (nt) The Straight Story Mar 2013 #124

yep libodem Mar 2013 #128

Love your signature! pacalo Mar 2013 #129

I can't see it on my phone libodem Mar 2013 #130

it's about progressives bossing each other around. "More liberal than thou" Kurovski Mar 2013 #84

"Will, did you read too fast?" WilliamPitt Mar 2013 #91

OK "strong and silent" I think I see what you mean. Kurovski Mar 2013 #92

So the author wants more communication Rex Mar 2013 #127