Personalities in the Gaming Industry and Politics

[EricNoah]

The delight of the board is that I can go there, encounter brilliant people whose political positions are very different from mine, and have a gruelingly-intense political debate with them, full of cites to peer-reviewed research, news articles, history, formal logic, and legal opinions, without having the affair bogged down by personal insults, logical fallacies, or shallow rhetoric.

On the Internet?? Now THAT'S fantasy!

Seriously, sounds like you found a gem in the rough!

 

[GMSkarka]

A ha! And if I am not mistaken, sir, you keep your hair quite short. Quite. Short.

Nope: Evidence behind the link

Now, the armor might say something about me, however...

 

[Mouseferatu]

Nope: Evidence behind the link

Now, the armor might say something about me, however...

Nah, the armor says nothing.

The little yellow plastic planter in the corner, however, speaks volumes.

 

[Steel_Wind]

What I don't like about that it that it can lead to "nobody can know anything and therefore I'm free to ignore your arguement". There is such a thing as an objective truth.

Exactly.

I'm a lawyer - a litigator in my day job and I put defences and claims in frequently that are questionable. That is the nature of our system. (Though in Canada - if you are wrong - you pay the legal costs. And not just in theory - it is almost invariably imposed in practice, so the shake em down for money thing is a pretty dangerous tactic north of the border).

But I am not naive enough - nor are our judges naive enough - to actually pay a bullcrap argument any sort of legitimacy unless there is really a triable issue. And that's a mighty rare thing. Two to three percent of cases, tops, are truly worthy of trial. In other words the "I can find evidence for my position in 15 minutes on the net" statements may be true - but AN argument is not the same as a GOOD argument, and it certainly is not the same as a WINNING argument.

Most of the time, these supposed "differences of opinion" are not valid differences of opinion at all. In all but a handful of deep hot-button issues, there is an objective truth.

I absolutely agree with Jon Stewart: The Crossfire Mentality has measurably hurt America. There is an objective truth - there is an evidentiary basis to make an informed and CORRECT decision. The persistent belief that it's all "subjective" and "lies, dam lies and statistics" tends to be brought forth by someone who does not want to listen - or has listened quite well, thank you, and well understands that his position is pretty damned weak. Rather than abandon the position in the face of some uncomfortable evidence, the defeated seek solace in a suggestion that it's all a matter of personal subjective opinion - *so screw you*.

Meh.

 

[Darrin Drader]

Nah, the armor says nothing.

The little yellow plastic planter in the corner, however, speaks volumes.

That's funny, I always thought it was the ceiling fan that spoke editions.

 

[GMSkarka]

Nah, the armor says nothing.

The little yellow plastic planter in the corner, however, speaks volumes.

I'll have you know, sirrah, that the planter in question is WOOD, thankyouverymuch. In accordance with the display guidelines for vendors at the KC Renaissance Festival.

I will let myself be called a Nazi....but some things just go TOO FAR.

 

[EricNoah]

Can someone give me an example of one of these "objective truths" that is not particularly political in nature? I just want to make sure I understand what we're talking about here. Are we talking something like "slavery is wrong" or something more akin to "the earth is 5 billion years old"?

From where I sit, a person who says "objective truth" w/regards to politics/ethics/morality/etc. is a person who has decided there is no further need to look for evidence because the matter is decided, the case is closed. But I may be unclear on what you are referring to.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

The little yellow plastic planter in the corner, however, speaks volumes.

If you’re going to shoot you might as well aim for the picture for the fairy in the background.

In accordance with the display guidelines for vendors at the KC Renaissance Festival.

Been a real long time but I use to go to those. (way off topic so I won't say anymore. )

 

[Mouseferatu]

I'll have you know, sirrah, that the planter in question is WOOD, thankyouverymuch. In accordance with the display guidelines for vendors at the KC Renaissance Festival.

I will let myself be called a Nazi....but some things just go TOO FAR.

Ah. I besmirched a man's RenFaire honor.

In atonement, I offer my own garb, from last year's Texas Renaissance Festival: http://www.livejournal.com/userpic/21427785/47058

I'm afraid I only have the icon-sized pic online. I took the others off my site, due to space issues.

 

[EricNoah]

If you’re going to shoot you might as well aim for the picture for the fairy in the background.

You rang?