You Need to Know Humility Before you Talk About It

[quote]Originally posted by berg

I realize you took Poly Sci classes back in 1989. But, again, we aren't at the same level. You see, I went to top ranked schools. I know you didn't because you still have no humility and are far too confident in your mental abilities. I'm noticing a trend in your writing and opinions. It reminds me of Oscar Wilde's quote, in response to a cynic: "A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing."[/quote]

You need to show humility before you whine about other people not showing humility. Bragging about going to top ranked schools, to try to back your opinion, isn't humility. Trying to insinuate that your opinion is something that I'd hold if only I had also attended "top ranked schools," isn't you showing humility. That's arrogance.

"We're not at the same level," or, "We're on different planes," is nothing but feel good clap trap debate tactics. A school isn't a very good school if it teaches those kinds of debate tactics.

One of the main purposes of a university is to train students to gather, develop, and continue knowledge. Part of that involves an intellectual vetting process that's designed to develop knowledge, and eliminate "non" knowledge. This concept leads to how science, and other disciplines, are supposed to work and evolve.

You seek knowledge. Based on that knowledge, you develop an argument, or a theory. Once you have that argument, or theory, you test that theory to see if it's sound. If that theory fails, then you have to abandon it and go back to the drawing board. Again, this is a cycle that's designed to improve humankind's overall knowledge.

A vetting process is involved in developing that knowledge. It doesn't involve a touchy-feely-feel-good "different levels" argument. It involves a cold, hard, you're either right or wrong, Saxon style engagement. The former allows a person to hold onto a half baked theory. The later forces a person, with a weak argument, to reconsider his "data."

Again, your "good schools" aren't so "good" if they taught you that "different levels" crap.

Don't mistake my pursuing the facts, and arguing from the facts, as my being "far too" confident in my mental abilities. That's simply me telling it like it is in the same sense that I'd call a red fire hydrant a red fire hydrant.

Your observations of my writing and assessments, and the quote that you used, aren't even on the mark. If your marksmanship were like your comments about me, my traits, or abilities; I'd hate to be the person standing behind you as you try to shoot the target in front of you.