No more than is appropriate. Look, if you want to spend your life affecting false modesty, believing that every lame-brained statement anyone vomits forth from his lips is a precious gem, valuable and worthy of respect, regardless of whether it is true, accurate and insightful or not that is your business. For me, if someone volunteers to be a stupid fool, I see no reason to pretend he is anything but that which he volunteers to be.
Well said. Have a cookie at Darwin Central.
For the record, I'm not a creationist. I don't believe the Earth was made in 6 (of our) days. I do not believe the Earth is 6,000 years old. I'm an adherent to the "scientific method".
The problem with you guys is you're so f-ing full of yourselves. There is nothing wrong with saying, "This is what I think happened, and here's the reasons (facts, experinece, or whatever) for believing this."
When you engage in name-calling, and heavy-handed attempts to belittle those who don't share your view, you weaken your own position in the scheme of these debates.
What you doubtless view as put-down humor and witty repartee is viewed by those of us passing through as shrillness at it's basest. You're not winning adherents to your cause - you're turning people off.
If you think that's the Dale Carnigie way to win friends and influence people, then that's your business. You go right ahead and do it that way. You may be impressing yourself and others in your choir, but trust me - that's pretty much where it ends.
Too bad. The subject matter itself is fascinating. When you stand up and pound your chest like a gorilla and yell at the top of your lungs, " HEY! I'm right, and the rest of you dumb f*cks are wrong, and that's that!!!", whatever you brought to the table has a way of disappearing.
Kind of like whatever passed for reasonableness with you....
CA....