Posted by SLS on June 17, 2000, at 9:29:07
In reply to Re: lithium vs. placebo - An opinion, posted by BBob on June 14, 2000, at 22:36:20
Hi Folks.
I had decided not to submit any more posts along this thread until I woke up this morning and saw how long it had become. What a waste.I would just like to return people's attention to the post that provoked such an angry outburst on my part.
I included part of the post that provoked my anger below. I took out everything I had written in the post prior to it, hopefully to expose what I thought was obvious. This person did not direct a single comment towards lithium. He directed all of his comments at me personally. His post was nothing more than a compendium of personal attacks upon me. Is this still invisible?
Of course I got pissed off. He ran out into a productive forum and made a playground out of it. He picked a fight. I have a right to get angry. I have a right to have an opinion about him. I have a right to want this person never to post here again. I have my reasons. I also had the privilege of being able to do something about it by submitting a post. My anger was less the result of his personal attacks upon me, for I do not suffer from a fragmented ego, as it was the result of his insistence to continue behaviors that I deem to be deleterious to the health of a community I care about. That is nothing more than my opinion, as was the post that I clearly labelled as such. This person decided that it was more important to comment on the character of the writer who offered that opinion (me) than to comment on the opinion itself. Clearly, he had no tolerance for my expressing it. I find it ironic that those people who defend his right to have an opinion fail to recognize his lack of respect for others to have theirs.
My one regret is that I focused too heavily on the notion that he may have a biological mental disorder for which a mood stabilizer would be an appropriate treatment. I doubt he has. Perhaps it is me who has a characterological liability for sociopathic tendencies. Either way, I make no apologies for my decision not to walk on egg shells. This person was looking to pick a child's fight. I guess he was successful. Right now, I have little compassion for him. It is my right not to.
I chose to read his post. I chose to respond to it. Was my response uncharacteristic of me? Perhaps not. However, I find this person's behavior to be uncharacteristic of this board, and I'm not afraid to state that as my opinion. Genius is no excuse for destructive behavior. I guess neither is my lack of it.
I realize that my displays of anger and targeted opinions about this person have most likely relieved me of any respectability or credibility I may have had here, which were questionable to begin with. For some reason, I don't seem to care that much. I guess I have managed to remain respectable and credible to myself.
I still think lithium is an important and effective tool to treat both bipolar AND unipolar depression. In this instance, salt is more effective than sugar.
- Scott
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> Unsubstantiated declarative statement, the logical foundation of which is based on the presumed authoritI of the speaker.> IBID
> IBID
> Niether "many" nor "some" are relational to a specific quantity, apparently reverting to previous unsubstantiated argument of authority
> "Works" "everyone" and other terms undefined. Ignore statement.
> Growing evidence of need to rebut findings. What is the writer defending? A popular drug?
> Obvious? Kindly submit evidence, please, refering to sources other than personal authority.
> Indeed. Opinions previal.
> "Plain"? "Work?" Are these terms defined?
> Something? What? What does the writer mean by wrong? Per chance does that mean does not concur with personal perceptions of personal experience?
> How does a stude the show Prozack "works" differ from a study that shows Prozak is associated with increased suicidal or violent ideation?
> Bazillion is an absurd term. The writer reverts to ridicule. Argument failed.
> Ridicule is indeed simple.
> another writer posted: would not it be intersting if lithium worked because of placebo affect (paraphrase)
> Just another opionion, reflecting curiosity rather than conviction.
> (boBB is not Todd!!!)
> Oops! experiment design obviously excludes well documented evidence of toxic effect. More positive results of the UT study were excluded because many subjects dropped out after experiencing negative side effects. No similar effects were reported from placebo group.
poster:SLS
thread:36179
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000610/msgs/37628.html