Dictionary Argument Fail

[kiya]

Someone is attempting to argue from the dictionary by picking the definitions that can be twisted to suit his agenda. Various people have pointed out that taking words with meanings in a particular context and using entries that apply to different contexts produces invalid results.

I finally lost my willingness to argue straight-up with someone that mendacious and asked if he liked Communist apples, environmentally-friendly apples, or cowardly apples.


Meanwhile, other places I read are once again places I consider posting my thoughts and then decide I'm fucking unsafe having that conversation there and shut up in. Ah, internets, I love you so.

Comments

[3treekisser.livejournal.com]

I said it based on interacting with him online, and on interacting with someone else online who is a diagnosed autistic. Some similarities struck me.

Obviously I'm not making a diagnosis, although I recognize that making such a statement on the basis of some forum-ing and only one other encounter can come off as pretty insensitive, so I'm sorry if that caused offence.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the background info. I wasn't so much offended as... it seemed to come from out of the blue, is all.

If only others were to follow your example and not make diagnoses based on a limited interaction set.