Comments on: My Holocaust http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/ Self-Experimentation, Scientific Method, the Shangri-La Diet, etc. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:07:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Mannstein http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-228807 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:46:33 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-228807 You can deny the existence of God, the divinity of Christ, but woe on to you if you deny the sacred mysteries of the holohoax. You will end up in jail in Israel and most European countries for such a transgression. Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826), 3rd American President: "It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself." You can deny the existence of God, the divinity of Christ, but woe on to you if you deny the sacred mysteries of the holohoax. You will end up in jail in Israel and most European countries for such a transgression.

Jefferson, Thomas (1743-1826), 3rd American President: “It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.”

]]> by: Andrew Gelman http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5373 Wed, 04 Apr 2007 05:03:39 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5373 Seth, Perhaps it's the tone of the blog entry that bothered me. I agree with commenter Matt that "heresy" nowadays is a complement (sort of like "delightfully irreverent" or "edgy")--it brings up images of heretics who were right, like Galileo. So calling something "the new heresy" sounds a lot like a compliment. I'd probably describe Holocaust denial not as a "heresy" but as a taboo, which is a little different--we all know that some taboos are there for a good reason. Nazi attitudes, Confederate flags, etc., have been "bad boy" accouterments for quite awhile, as a poke in the eye to the "establishment." And it's no surprise that most people react negatively to bad-boy types who are trying to rile them up. Of course, it's notoriously difficult to read "tone" from written (as compared to spoken) words. Seth,

Perhaps it’s the tone of the blog entry that bothered me. I agree with commenter Matt that “heresy” nowadays is a complement (sort of like “delightfully irreverent” or “edgy”)–it brings up images of heretics who were right, like Galileo. So calling something “the new heresy” sounds a lot like a compliment.

I’d probably describe Holocaust denial not as a “heresy” but as a taboo, which is a little different–we all know that some taboos are there for a good reason. Nazi attitudes, Confederate flags, etc., have been “bad boy” accouterments for quite awhile, as a poke in the eye to the “establishment.” And it’s no surprise that most people react negatively to bad-boy types who are trying to rile them up.

Of course, it’s notoriously difficult to read “tone” from written (as compared to spoken) words.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5367 Wed, 04 Apr 2007 04:04:14 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5367 I think the author of "My Holocaust" is saying that there are also similarities -- similarities in how the people who disagree (the minority) are treated (by the majority). And I agree with her: there are similarities. I think the author of “My Holocaust” is saying that there are also similarities — similarities in how the people who disagree (the minority) are treated (by the majority). And I agree with her: there are similarities.

]]> by: Andrew Gelman http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5352 Wed, 04 Apr 2007 01:29:49 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5352 Seth, There's an important distinction between disagreeing with a _belief_ ("heresy") and disagreeing with a _fact_ ("denial"). Seth,

There’s an important distinction between disagreeing with a _belief_ (”heresy”) and disagreeing with a _fact_ (”denial”).

]]> by: Matt McIntosh http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5331 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 23:10:34 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5331 Which is not to say the socio-psychological phenomenon isn't still very much with us, merely that nobody calls it that anymore. Which is not to say the socio-psychological phenomenon isn’t still very much with us, merely that nobody calls it that anymore.

]]> by: Matt McIntosh http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5330 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 23:09:06 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5330 Well, nowadays "heresy" is applied to a thesis primarily by its defenders, when they want to strike an iconoclastic pose. Well, nowadays “heresy” is applied to a thesis primarily by its defenders, when they want to strike an iconoclastic pose.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5302 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 19:18:34 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5302 That particular feature of the book is a neat expression of what I consider a basic but little-remarked truth about human nature: Disagreements have a funny way of being overreacted to. Calling this or that belief you disagree with a "heresy" is an example. That particular feature of the book is a neat expression of what I consider a basic but little-remarked truth about human nature: Disagreements have a funny way of being overreacted to. Calling this or that belief you disagree with a “heresy” is an example.

]]> by: Matt McIntosh http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5299 Tue, 03 Apr 2007 18:57:17 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/04/03/my-holocaust/#comment-5299 Uh, of all the various aspects of the book, why did you choose to zero in on that one? Some heresies are heresies because people in positions of influence are afraid of them being true. Others are so merely because they're almost solely espoused by the malevolent and/or stupid. Uh, of all the various aspects of the book, why did you choose to zero in on that one?

Some heresies are heresies because people in positions of influence are afraid of them being true. Others are so merely because they’re almost solely espoused by the malevolent and/or stupid.

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