There has certainly been a piling on against Viviane, which is unfortunate. And she is 100% right that questioning her mental health and dismissing her with misogynistic statements is out of line. I also had no idea what a "home truth" was.
A year ago Eden and I had an exchange with a poster named Focus. Focus had impressive historical knowledge and made powerful points but wrote with a certain bombastic style and, in my opinion, stretched the rules of logic and rhetoric to support his position. Eden and I exchanged a PM where we agreed tone is important if your aim is to persuade. Others may disagree. Personally, I admire the tone Eden uses.
On the other hand, I respect Viviane's brain, her points are always razor sharp but, much like the great Richard Dawkins, not always with a tone I find helpful. That is entirely irrelevant to anyone but me, of course. People smarter than me use a tone I don't like. Maybe I just don't like that they are smarter.
Viviane, when your past posts were selectively sliced up and posted it was a direct attack on you. This thread became a chance to settle scores, I think, and if it were me I would be feeling hurt and defensive. You said, though, that the internet doesn't bother you and I respect that. You have a stronger ability to be dispassionate and/or a stronger sense of self than I.
What I don't understand, then, is why things escalated so much over the word "insist". I went back through the discussion and I thought it a rather fair reading that you "insisted".
"you're just not backing it up or following through.
.... Urbanity would include thing like, oh, say, if you make accusations, being able to prove it. It's just common courtesy"
That is "insisting" to me. Am I also a dishonest and fallacious poster whom you will dismiss until I explain in detail why you should ever trust a word I say?
The amazing thing is, Eden actually took the time to show you why he felt you insisted and you called it BS.
Repeatedly framing what is, at worst, a misreading as a terrible reputation destroying lie is disproportionate in the extreme. Notwithstanding the shoddy way you are being treated (and you are) I rather hoped you would retract that. I think it would do you credit (I am aware you don't care).
Everyone: I entered late and uninvited into the middle of someone else's argument. It seems this has become my MO. I deserve all the vitriol you toss my way.
