05 December 2007

War on fools

An anonymous author at Slant Six Creative argues:
Always let a fool have the last word.
I was reminded of the first rule of arguing with a fanatic: Don't.

I left a comment, upon which I will expound slightly further.
Unfortunately, fools are often numerous, persistent, and influential. Worse, errors left unchallenged gain the perception of truth. So it’s often the case one must continually confront fools, because the consequences of not doing so are grave.
The sad fact is, not all fools drool. Many fools have expensive watches, large incomes, stable home lives, and can be excellent conversationalists at social functions. But they can be badly, badly wrong. They can hold strong beliefs about impossible things.

To paraphrase an expression written on some buildings in Washington, D.C., "Eternal vigilance is the price of intelligence."

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