jriggenbach

What's "twee"? Who said "twee"? Some self-proclaimed Canadian socialist who's so terrified that someone she knows might find out what her views are that she hides behind a screen name online. JR

Interesting and thoughtful post, Michael. And I believe you have understood some things about Phil. But I suspect you know Phil only through the Internet. Am I right? You've never met him in person? I met Phil in person originally. It was sometime in the '90s, I'd say about 15 years ago. I liked him immediately. I still do, despite the fact that I take potshots at him fairly frequently. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that I take potshots at the individual he becomes when he participates in a list like this one. He's very different in person. He has excellent social skills. He used to come to parties at our apartment in San Francisco between 1996 and 2006, parties at which he would be surrounded by Rothbardian libertarians who strongly disagreed with his views on foreign policy and military matters, but he was always congenial and amiable and extremely likable. Arguments often became heated, but I never spoke with any of our regulars who told me s/he was pissed off at Phil or had come to think badly of Phil or anything of the sort. Everybody liked him. He never came across as a schoolmarm; he never preached civility or took people to task about not taking his advice on how they should do everything they do. In another message on this thread, George Smith wrote that "people who have never met JR might be surprised to learn that he is actually very amiable in person, and people who have never met me might be surprised to learn that I am normally easy-going, and rarely acerbic, when discussing ideas in person." These statements are absolutely true, and they lead me to my one serious criticism of your post, Michael. I don't think it's strictly true that Phil has a problem with social skills. His social skills in person are at a very high level. It's his alter ego, the Phil who posts on Internet discussion lists, whose social skills (like James Taggart's manners) don't stick to him very well. Perhaps the same might be said about me. JR

The voice of invincible ignorance. "Allegorical names" remain common in serious literature to this day. Writers who have no secondary meanings in mind when they choose names for their characters are hacks who never learned how to write. Part of what the phrase "good writer" means when applied to crafters of fiction is "writer who gets the maximum meaning out of all the words and names s/he chooses to employ." JR

Yeah! Like D'Anconia! JR

Isn't that why God invented plastic? Cash only when possible, but especially for luxuries like this. I've learned, from frustrating experience, that's the only way to go. And this seminar's (early) cost is the same as for a set of new tires on one of the two cars, after six years. Plastic was endowed upon us for true emergencies. I'm in a lifetime oversupply already of my quota of philosophic and political lectures. Especially when some of these will end up on streaming audio or cassettes anyway. Cassettes????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JR

Yes. No one in Norway has a Danish name, just as no one in America has a German name or a French name or a Spanish name. There is not now and has never been any immigration or emigration between countries. QED JR

I suggest skimming some secondary sources in search of it. Helpfully, JR

I don't get it, how are we supposed to know that this is bad writing? An excellent question, but one I suspect few here have a clue how to even think about, much less answer. Hint: the use of meaningless terms like "twee" will get you nowhere. JR

I suggest you rely on skimming secondary sources, so you can make sure to have the time to study Chinese culture. JR

That's one of the reasons why I'm opposed to homeschooling. Fo it can result in exactly that: religious dogmatists indoctrinating their children. You have not mentioned your brother. What is his attitude regarding this crucial issue? Following Ms. Xray's "logic," I can then argue that one of the reasons that I am "opposed to" compulsory, forced public school state education is that "...it can result in..." marxist dogmatists "...indoctrinating their children." How long have you been convinced that you are surrounded by "Marxists"? Do you suspect them of lurking behind bushes and under beds? JR

Just for the record, Dan, I got no such impression from your initial post. Permit me to introduce myself. My name is Jeff Riggenbach, and my function here on OL is to insult and vilify thoughtful posters so as to drive them off the list or at least insure that they won't post anymore. I have never bothered to insult or vilify Reidy. Best, JR

Also, of course, if you have something on your shoulder and you shrug, it will fall off. Duh! JR

For mush-mouths, it probably is. JR

Since when do conservatives oppose big government? JR Barry Goldwater pre-1965. --Brant my hero, with serious reservations Brant: Correct. Mine also. Adam http://mises.org/daily/3859 JR

And here I thought Dan Quayle was dumber than any Democrat who ever lived. JR

Since when do conservatives oppose big government? JR

I for one believe that George and I and Ninth Doctor and a few others have been exhibiting benevolent egoism to an extraordinary extent over the last several years. I mean, consider: we have placed ourselves in the position of having to tolerate Phil's incivility day in and day out, without respite, and we have kept this up week after week, month after month, when those less benevolent would likely have given up in disgust. I think our behavior has been virtually saintlike. JR

Move along, folks. Nothing to see here. Move along. Move along. I'm just here in this corner of the page doing the work I was always meant to do - degrading the list by making comments or asking questions that Phil regards as "snarky," a word (like "civility") which possesses exactly zero intellectual content. As used by Phil, "snarky" means "having one or more qualities Phil doesn't like." Okay, there's my snarky comment. Now for my snarky question: Why does Phil become so incensed when anyone speculates as to his motives for writing something he wrote, but it's okay for him to speculate on the psychology that "makes" those he doesn't like on the list write things he regards as "snarky"? JR

But surely you've noticed the savage incivility that, as Phil Coates has tirelessly explained, is the main feature of this site? Surely you're planning to leave in resignation and despair over the constant din of insults and vilification that greets every visitor here? Concernedly, JR

I myself was appalled at the incivility of so many of the characters. JR

And, of course, the reason they seldom post anymore is that they were insulted and vilified by members who are uncivil. Right? JR

For the same reason you expect others to respond to your dumb views? JR

And the real wonder of all this is that you absolutely refuse to do what you're always whining that too few of the rest of us do - respond to our argument that "civility" is a phoney concept from top to bottom and nothing but a smokescreen designed to conceal the fact that those who are always clamoring for "civility" are just as insulting as the rest of us. They want their insults not to count as insults, while our insults do count as insults. There is nothing more to the entire phoney baloney issue than that. I have said this. George has said this. You never reply - despite the fact that you become all prickly and wounded if anyone doesn't carefully reply to each and every "argument" you put forth. So what is your reply? What is the error of our argument? JR

Mary Shelley wrote more than one novel. And only the opening of Dracula is set in Transylvania. Most of it takes place in England. JR

What about his welcome? Has he worn it out? Confusedly, JR