To counter ignorance, we inform people. To counter hatred, which usually results from fear, we calm people’s fears. We begin by being patient and courteous even when others are rude.

When we have no other choice, we defend ourselves from violence. If we must resort to violence to force others to adopt our point-of-view, perhaps we need to rethink our point-of-view.

I don’t read his post as one of refusing to understand his opponents. I read it as someone astute enough to reject bigotry, which is clearly a quality we need more of in the blogosphere.

Flat Earther? Undoubtedly, if future generations prosper materially, they will find some of our scientific theories as erroneous as this generation has found those of past generations. What future generations will think of our opinions on morality, we can only speculate.

We have outlawed many practices that were once customary and would be generally considered evil today. Does that mean our ancestors were evil while we, on the other hand, are good?

Although each of us is unique, our mental limitations force us to classify and label each other. However, this need to label is not the same as an entitlement to pass judgment, to label someone as good or evil, enemy or friend. The label we put on someone does not give us a right to punish and attack. Nonetheless, too many do exactly that. Yet there is only one excuse for such violence — including verbal violence — self-defense or the defense of another.

The Internet provides the opportunity for exchanging ideas or abuse. In the exchange of ideas, particularly on sensitive subjects such as politics and religion, we all find it difficult to maintain self-control. Many find a Blogger’s Code of Conduct helpful.

There are plenty of interesting and informative conversations to be had with people who have beliefs completely different than my own. That’s a huge part of what makes the web worth caring about. There’s also an enormous amount of crap. This crap tends to be generated, in excess, by a particular subset of users who have no actual interest in a conversation. If you can’t differentiate between these groups (or are unwilling to, in service of some empty code of conduct), well, I guess we all choose to waste our time differently.

I certainly do cop to being willing to ridicule some people. I think that those that traffic in the examples above deserve ridicule. I also advocate, albeit indirectly, ridiculing Flat Earthers. Did that strike a nerve, Tom?