Wednesday

[weaktwos]

Today was a good day, and it seemed to go by rather quickly.

-I continued to debate a friend on the Social Security revamping issue. There's a gap here between our argumentation styles. I like to seek out and offer evidence in support of my claims. He seems to not. The whole objective of argumentation is not to just blurt out opinions that are baseless, but to share knowledge and either arrive at a stronger understanding of your own opinion, or learn and potentially embrace a new opinion that you may find to hold better merit.

Furthermore, if you are going to assert that "Social Security is a big pyramid scam." to an individual who knows the various elements of a pyramid scam, and that Social Security lacks all those elements to be a pyramid scam, you should either admit that you were wrong, admit that you were joking, or come up with a really clever and interesting argument. Saying that you used pyramid scam "perhaps in overemphasis because it seems you took me way literally", is, in my opinion, a cop out. Unless, of course, you wish to tell me how "pyramid scam" would be used as a metaphor or simile. Yes, I risk offending someone who may read this, but if you are going to make faulty statements, I'm going to challenge you on them, just like I would hope that someone challenges me.

-I had a hair appointment.
-I went over to patricks's abode and helped catalog over 500 comics that we will be putting up on ebay as soon as I start gathering entering them up for sale.
-I went to Magnolia hifi with some dvds and cds to test out sound quality. I compared various speakers. Two sets were within my desired price range, but there was a $300 gap between them. I listed to them several times over. I couldn't tell the difference. So I got the cheaper set. For my room size, i don't really need any more than what I acquired.

Comments

[tunskit.livejournal.com]

That reminds me of a quote J read to me tonight from his Murphy's Laws book: One simple fact can ruin a good argument. LOL. I have a friend with whom I often debate, but he never listens to my side. You can't get him to concede a point. I still enjoy the discussions, but it's somewhat like banging my head against a wall--producing no productive results.

*sigh*

[scarcrest.livejournal.com]

Social Security is not a pyramid scheme. It's not an investment program. It's an insurance policy.

Some people die young and never collect. Some live past the curve, and recoup more than what they paid in ... just like with a life insurance policy.

Re: *sigh*

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know that. You're preachin' to the choir, here. :-)

Re: *sigh*

[scarcrest.livejournal.com]

I know you know ... when you break it down like that, I don't see how ANYONE could not know. But they drink the Faux News-flavored Kool-Aid.

[denimdoll.livejournal.com]

I like to seek out and offer evidence in support of my claims. He seems to not. The whole objective of argumentation is not to just blurt out opinions that are baseless, but to share knowledge and either arrive at a stronger understanding of your own opinion, or learn and potentially embrace a new opinion that you may find to hold better merit.

I absolutely love this "definition" of argumentation.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[denimdoll.livejournal.com]

Mind if I post your "definition" in my journal? I'd love to use it as a basis for a post about the fact that I don't mind if my friends disagree with me.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Sure, feel free!

[torsoheap.livejournal.com]

I'm doing my financial planning assuming that I'm getting jack diddly squat from Social Security. I'm sure that whatever plan Bush has will improve the bottom line of his friends' companies.

I think that you would be hard pressed to find a first world populace less informed than ours. It's amazing how dumb we are collectively. I'm not even sure we can be considered a first world nation with our low life expectancy and high infant mortality rate.

Rather than address our crappy health care system (I was without health care for 6 weeks after I started my postdoc), we debate gay marriage, flag burning and other trivial topics.

Plutocracy, here we come.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's really tragic, as well as sad.

[dangermouse74.livejournal.com]

it's ok, offend me all you want. you just don't seem to get it, so it's not even a debate, there's nothing to be learned, i'm disappointed. and beyond that you can't let it go either. I thought just deleting your last reply would let it go, perhaps you had to get the last bit out of your system.

Hopefully this can be it and we can put it behind us, else we may as well just split ties.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

I had no idea you deleted the last reply...though you must mean you deleted a reply notification you received.

There is always something to be learned, David. If you refuse to learn, that is not my concern.

I think there is as much here that you need to get and are failing to get, as well.

As for letting it go, this is interesting. For your additional comment demonstrates your unwillingness to "let it go" as you seem to keep on saying. You didn't have to reply to this post. I didn't specifically identify you. Only those willing to take the time to go back in history to see my previous posts would figure out who I am referring to. Until now.

And I really don't have to let it go in my journal. And the issue isn't just about you. It's about the issue of social security. Bringing it up in my journal and underlying some of the points may bring others to offer counter-examples of my viewpoint and/or support of your viewpoint.

I will not continue to discuss this issue with you, unless you keep on replying. That's the magic secret, David. Otherwise, as long as I have ideas to exchange on the subject(s), I will share them if you feel compelled to reply to my posts.

If this frightens you, annoys you, etc, feel free to follow through with your desire/threat to cut ties. I don't feel so compelled. I don't mind feisty exchanges hashing this out, disagreeing, and moving on. But then, I enjoy such challenges. It is clear you do not.

[dangermouse74.livejournal.com]

I will not continue to discuss this issue with you, unless you keep on replying. That's the magic secret, David

ok cool, that's all i wanted, thanks.

[dangermouse74.livejournal.com]

sorry i meant i deleted the email of the reply, not the reply itself, it's still there. that would be antagonistic, you or anyone can still go back and read it. and of course you can say whatever you liek in your journal, i just cared right now as it pertains to me.