# Chicken or Egg? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 30, 2011, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409 "2011-06-30T18:25:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409/121 "2011-07-08T18:15:01Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > And to get back to the OP, I specifically asked for the fish. Y’know, chicken isn’t the opposite of tuna. _Salmon_ is the opposite of tuna… swims up the stream, and tuna swims down the stream. [/Seinfeld voice.] _ **Duh-duh-duduh-duh… Badah-bubuh!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409/122 "2011-07-08T18:18:43Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > Second of all, it’s obvious that you can’t conceive of reasonable disagreement on your pet topics, which really puts you in the same sinking boat with the slapdick you’re arguing with. No, it just means that I generally don’t post much on politics when I’m not sure that my side is right. And like it or not, quite a few arguments are one sided, with a right side and a wrong side. This is one such. Automatically assuming that the correct position is between two sides in an argument, or that both sides in an argument are always equally valid or moral are fallacies. ---
**Author:** ![Penderel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Penderel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penderel)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409/123 "2011-07-08T19:22:59Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > First of all, it’s obvious that he’s an idiot who just wants to screed about rightwing bullshit–he made the “Why aren’t Nazis considered socialist, it’s right there in the name hurr hurr” comment in GD already too. Second of all, it’s obvious that you can’t conceive of reasonable disagreement on your pet topics, which really puts you in the same sinking boat with the slapdick you’re arguing with. I certainly agree with the second part of your post. There’s no need to directly address the hysterical ranting of **Der Trihs**. The first part is fairly laughable, though. I thought that adults could have a reasonable (if impassioned) debate, whether it be on this subject or any other. If I wanted to “screed about rightwing bullshit” I could certainly find a more agreeable place to do so. Once again my ideas are not being countered with any sort of rational argument, just someone calling me an idiot and a slapdick, then criticizing someone else as being irrational for calling me a rapist. Hilariously enough, these criticisms are made by the same person who branded me as a troll while calling me names. I’m then immediately dismissed because of an anti-abortion stance and for proposing the wildly imaginative idea that the National Socialists were actually socialists. Your problem is that you either refuse to, or lack the capacity to, defend your ideas rationally and civilly, and thus must discredit anyone with the unmitigated gall to not take your word as gospel. In short, we’re not in kindergarten anymore. Grow the fuck up. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409/124 "2011-07-08T19:27:45Z")
> [@Penderel](#): > > I’m then immediately dismissed because of an anti-abortion stance and for proposing the wildly imaginative idea that the National Socialists were actually socialists. If you think America is becoming a socialist nation I suggest you move to one of [these](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Germany) [democracies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_korea). What? They aren’t or weren’t _really_ democracies? You idiot, of course they were, it says it right in their title! Herp a de derp. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409/125 "2011-07-08T20:04:17Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > No, it just means that I generally don’t post much on politics when I’m not sure that my side is right. And like it or not, quite a few arguments are one sided, with a right side and a wrong side. This is one such. Automatically assuming that the correct position is between two sides in an argument, or that both sides in an argument are always equally valid or moral are fallacies. While I concur with the idea that there are issues with right and wrong sides, the fact remains that angry screeds are angry screeds, and they don’t really help anything for anyone. It’s analogous to taking a spittle-spewing position against burning live kittens–you’re not going to convince anyone who’s already decided that kitten-burning is A-OK, all you’re doing is reaffirming your own internal perception of yourself as the heroic opposition instead of the reality of “a guy yelling on a message board”. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409/126 "2011-07-08T22:08:13Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > While I concur with the idea that there are issues with right and wrong sides, the fact remains that angry screeds are angry screeds, and they don’t really help anything for anyone. It’s analogous to taking a spittle-spewing position against burning live kittens–you’re not going to convince anyone who’s already decided that kitten-burning is A-OK, all you’re doing is reaffirming your own internal perception of yourself as the heroic opposition instead of the reality of “a guy yelling on a message board”. You just underline my position. Nothing I say is going to convince someone so far gone that they support burning kittens (or banning abortion), nor can I reach through the monitor to stop them. If I come across as nothing more than “a guy yelling on a message board”, it’s because that’s all I or anyone here is; a guy (or girl) on a message board. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409/127 "2011-07-09T03:35:04Z")
I’m so much more than that. I’m fucking awesome. Kittens love me. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409/128 "2011-07-09T16:16:25Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > You just underline my position. Nothing I say is going to convince someone so far gone that they support burning kittens (or banning abortion), nor can I reach through the monitor to stop them. If I come across as nothing more than “a guy yelling on a message board”, it’s because that’s all I or anyone here is; a guy (or girl) on a message board. In **Zeriel** ’s defense, I would point out that your spittle-filled ravings aren’t even remotely likely to convince an actual, reasonable fence-sitter, who’s already leaning your way. Dude, you’re as much a loon for your side as **Penderel** , here, is for his, and just as convincing. ETA: > [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I’m so much more than that. I’m fucking awesome. Kittens love me. If kittens love you, then you _are_ awesome. I’m happy to be in the same club as you! 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chicken-or-egg/587409.md?page=6)