I don’t think the aggressive attitude in this thread is conducive to discussion.
(Cool. But I do.)
For starters, swearing at him, calling him names, etc. will lead readers to believe our (the austrian/libertarian) stance is logically unsound and we have to resort appealing to riddicule in order to win an argument.
(Will it? My opinion is different. I am of the mindset that those who read critically can form their own conclusion regardless of what some asshole named Valject is sputtering at some poor schmuck. And those who show up with no willingness to challenge their own convictions will not gain anything from any discussion, no matter how many buckets of logic are poured onto their burning idealism. In turn, I believe that the best method is combine logical refutation with ridicule. Make the enemy of logic a glowing beacon of disdain, I say. And why not? I was shunned by grown men and women, and made an outcast in elementary school, all because I was able to outsmart my teachers. Petty revenge, perhaps, but it suits me fine. I am not above calling someone an idiot. Of course, in this particular case, I’m only attacking the specific ideal of the person in question. I’m fairly certain that many intelligent people are capable of making logical blunders and supporting ludicrous ideals.)
Also, he is unlikely to come back and discuss (or maybe even read) this thread if everyone is just being “mean” rather than constructively discussing ideas.
(But I’m not one for caring about that sort of thing. Especially when all the mean criticism was, nonetheless, constructive criticism. )
I do not personally agree with his stance for a number of reasons but that doesn’t mean I am going to rudely yell at him as my means of proving him wrong.
(But is anyone truly doing that? I would enjoy throwing down some “your mom” insults, yes, but not as much as building a sarcastically indignant refutation.)
We will get a lot further by arguing points logically and calmly.
(I was never able to put sense into a fools brain. I tried. Many, many times, I tried. Seventy-six hours of destroying the foundations of any argument a fool might make…and it turns out a good backhand does the trick in seconds. On the other hand, it’s nice to know there’s a fair few people like you to offset people like me. I am, and I make no bones about it, a bastard. I tip my hat to those who are patient enough to be nice. I burned that fuel long ago.)