Political arguments are interesting things; there’s a lot of passion involved, and therefore they almost always get personal. I don’t think things often get resolved this way, and that’s part of the reason I try to avoid insulting people I disagree with. I also just have an instinctive aversion to that kind of thing, so I don’t do a lot of it. Sometimes–as in the (non-political) video I mentioned in my previous post–it can even undermine your argument.

But, that doesn’t meant that I don’t see the value of a good, insult-filled political argument. Polemics are a legitimate style of argument, albeit with a very different goal in mind than debates or dialectics. In fact, polemics are probably the best ones for persuading an audience, because they are much more exciting and enjoyable. It’s just a style I have little talent or inclination for.

The reason I’m saying this is to direct you to an exchange between friend-of-this-blog Nameless Cynic and a Conservative writer named Mark Mayberry. It is filled with insults, but I found it quite entertaining. Cynic is an excellent writer, and the rhythm of the back-and-forth is awesome. At times, it almost sounded like an Avellonian insult exchange. Read the whole thing.