Is Neo-Atheism The Way to Go? [Poll]

[SammyKid11]

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What exchange is more likely to lead you in the right direction? "Hmm. I don't know. It's not my taste, but it's your decision.". Or... "Are you kidding me? LOL!! That looks ridiculous on you! Sure, go ahead and buy it if you want to look like an idiot!".

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You're setting up a false dichotomy here. The first reaction is overly civil. "I don't know," "not my taste," and "your decision" barely takes a position. So of COURSE the second response is going to have a more powerful effect, in that it very clearly takes a position.

If, however, the first option you gave us was civil, more like: "look, if you want this job, I really don't think you ought to wear this shirt to the interview. It just doesn't look good on you," then we might have something to compare.

In this instance, sure, some people will still be more likely to pick another shirt after being mocked for their first choice. Others (maybe people who don't have great fashion sense but THINK they do) will be so turned off by the mocking that it makes them MORE likely to do what they will, essentially deciding your crass behavior makes you an inappropriate judge of what's best for them.

This second group of people, sadly, will usually more closely resemble religious people...people whose worldviews are utterly illogical but who think they're right on course. With these people, firm but polite disagreement is really the only hope.

With people on the fence, if you want to try outright mockery, go for it...might work.