# The Grail **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 17, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grail/463922 "2008-09-17T01:04:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grail/463922/401 "2008-10-07T22:21:45Z")
Is there any particular reason why you steadfastly and deliberately ignore posters’ entire arguments, and repeatedly focus on and nitpick one single out of context statement which you respond to with worthless one liners? Some have suggested that you might view it as being part of some initiation ritual, played out online. Confirm/deny? ---
**Author:** ![maatorc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@maatorc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maatorc)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grail/463922/402 "2008-10-07T22:35:37Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Is there any particular reason why you steadfastly and deliberately ignore posters’ entire arguments…Some have suggested that you might view it as being part of some initiation ritual… The post are about me, not the subject. Also, comments about Gurdjief for example, spoken as though the poster is a world authority, are rubbish. As to initiation ritual, no. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grail/463922/403 "2008-10-08T00:16:04Z")
I see. So you aren’t really interested in discussing the topic that you yourself brought up. You just want to watch the rest of us try to make sense of your cryptic comments and occasional book references, without doing anything but occasionally tossing out circular references to the myth which you claim is the basis for all Eastern and Western religions. ---
**Author:** ![intention](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e95f7d/32.png) [@intention](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/intention)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grail/463922/404 "2008-10-08T00:31:02Z")
maatorc, I very deliberately asked you one, and only one, question. Your response to date has been: > [@maatorc](#): > > Just circularly self referencing pseudo intellectual grass, hopper! Now, that’s quite cute, I’m sure you’re very impressed by it and all, but on my planet, it is merely meaningless mental masturbation … you like the alliteration? Or to put it more clearly, you are not coming across as someone who knows anything, but rather as a jerk-off. You may in fact be tuned into the wisdom of the ages, but you don’t act like it. To remind you, the question was: [QUOTE=intention] So, maatorc, my first and only question for you is … **… should we assist others in the difficult process of figuring things out for themselves, or make it harder for people to figure things out for themselves?** [/QUOTE] Because if your purpose is to assist others, you should remember the old saw: _ **If one man calls you a horse, laugh it off. If two men call you a horse, think it over. If three men call you a horse, buy a saddle.** _ I say this because as near as I can tell, everyone here, including people that know a lot about the subject that you are pretending to discuss, thinks that you are making it harder for people, rather than assisting people, on their path. Now we might all be terribly wrong and deluded … but if I were you, I’d be checking out saddle prices just in case … w. ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grail/463922/405 "2008-10-08T00:52:02Z")
> [@intention](#): > > I say this because as near as I can tell, everyone here, including people that know a lot about the subject that you are pretending to discuss, thinks that you are making it harder for people, rather than assisting people, on their path. > > Now we might all be terribly wrong and deluded … but if I were you, I’d be checking out saddle prices just in case … > > w. Really I’m just hanging around because I’m personally amazed at the variety of beliefs, disciplines, knowledge and levels of experience all sitting on the same side of this table. I’m used to seeing more quibbling amongst ourselves but to polarize a group this diverse (and I say that, with all due respect, based on reading previous posts) takes something truly unique. I guess that’s what I’m saying; maatorc, you are truly unique. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grail/463922/406 "2008-10-08T01:17:10Z")
> [@maatorc](#): > > The post are about me, not the subject. > > Also, comments about Gurdjief for example, spoken as though the poster is a world authority, are rubbish. > > As to initiation ritual, no. Actually, in the last day, very few of the posts have been about you as other posters have explored what you might have been coyly talking around without ever actually discussing. Your assessment of other posters’ opinions have no basis in authority, based on your behavior in this thread. I’m tired of babysitting this nonsense. If posters want to open a thread that actually discusses the topic, (or open a Pit thread to vent their frustration), they are welcome to do so. This silliness is closed. [/Moderating] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grail/463922.md?page=20)