Why the USA is a disgrace

[Edwardo Piet]

Quit with the deliberately? I didn't say she said anything she didn't actually say so stop lying.

THAT'S what I mean by "quit with the deliberately" perfect example. Even if what I were saying were untrue that doesn't make me a liar. I'd have to be deliberately stating something I didn't believe were true to be a liar. By saying I'm lying you are claiming that I'm deliberately saying something untrue. So quit with the "deliberately"!

Not only do I not believe I am wrong here, but I'm not fucking lying at all. Thanks a lot (!)

Wish I'd never tried to befriend you again now. I'll try to be nice but that's it. I really wish you'd stop thinking the worst of people, because when people do the same to you after you've demonstrated shitty behavior for a long while, although I have felt a bit of sympathy because sometimes people do become a bit biased against you because you've been such a dick--I'm not going to be sympathetic anymore if you're going to continue to hypocritically think the worst of others, even to people who haven't been remotely as much of a dick as you, like myself, or even at all. Like... I can't believe you just told me to stop lying. You think I'm actually lying here? Oh for fuck's sake I really need to stop trying to think well of you and giving you the benefit of the doubt, I probably should be more cynical with you and think less of your intentions if you're even going to think I'm lying to you just because I say something you don't agree with. For fucks sake. Bye.

[Edwardo Piet]

Your point of view: If all else fails, I'll just appeal to the emotions of staff in a covert attempt to get me banned, 'cause hell, why not, I'm such a little fucking princess. I can do whatever I want and don't you dare tell me otherwise, "boy".

It's saying stuff like this that makes me feel sorry for you though. You really over analyse what people think of you and I think you'd be a lot happier if you didn't.

[Joods]

Then do us all a favor and ragequit so we can have some peace here. Many of us are getting quite sick of you shitting on every thread you post in. I, for one am sick of your constant insults at my intelligence.

I made a remark. You lost your shit over it. You're the one who made an attack against me first, not me. Now you complain that I insulted you in turn? You're a hypocrite and a manipulative one at that.

Wrong. You spewed an insult. Far different from just making a remark. And you did it repeatedly, which is why I said what I said back. 

It started with this: 

The world isn't just USA on the one side and some hellish country in the middle east ripe with violence and poverty on the other.

To which I responded with this: 

 I didn't say that it was. But I would still rather live here than the very real places I mentioned.

You then retorted with this:

Anyone would. That doesn't say much about America, though. There's a lot of places like America in that regard.  You sound like you think America is somehow special in that. Well, guess what, it's not.

This is where you start making up crap. Assuming I was saying America was special. I never said that and I replied with this: 

As usual, you take things someone says, way out of context because you read far more into it than necessary.

You then accused me of making a strawman argument when I wasn't even arguing at all:

Stop making straw man arguments then.

My view of America wasn't cause for an argument, but merely my opinion. You were the one who started in with reading more into what I said than was necessary, all because you LOVE to be combative and argue with people. When you said the following, it was crossing a line. 

 Inb4 Nymph starts screaming and crying, learn how to debate and accept criticism.

Obviously you were the one who instigated. There was absolutely ZERO reason to say that. When I responded in kind because you were being a dick, you decided to go on with the following: 

What a pathetic attempt at an ad hominem. It doesn't surprise me. Stupid people resort to low tactics.

You know what, I don't give a fuck anymore. Believe and say what you want, I'm not about to get in 50-page fight about a vacuos statement and its disingenuous author and defenders.

Clearly, you made the first attack. Now that you've been shown proof, you have nothing to do but shut up about it because I'm sick and tired of you and your insinuations and your ignorant remarks. You do this in every thread you post in. You manage to crawl right up to the line without actually stepping over it. Except this time, you have flamed me over several pages of a thread all because I shared a fucking opinion of what I thought of the USA. I don't think my country is any more special than any other, but you put those words in my mouth just like you put words in my mouth any other time you happen to disagree with what I've said. Instead of being an adult, you resort to child-like tactics, get people riled up and then act like you did nothing to cause the upset. 

You're damn right I'm mad about it. As anyone who gets repeatedly attacked by you SHOULD be. Go. To. Hell. I cannot stand you. If I could block you and knew someone else wouldn't quote your worthless rantings, I'd be fine, but as it is, blocking does nothing.

[paulpablo]

EP there was no argument, or strawman argument.  The thread got to the point where a conversation about where people would rather live had arisen, then someone explained they would rather live in America than a lot of other places in the world even though it isn't perfect.

You made a strawman argument by saying the world isn't divided between hellish countries and the USA, which no one said was the case to begin with.

You're basically saying hey your statement is too simplistic so I'm going to purposefully misinterpret it to mean things you never said, claim you were arguing about something you weren't, then argue against the points you never made.

No, I didn't. I just stated my opinion on the matter, same as her. I never said she made that argument. If I'm to be accused of anything its of wrongly accusing her of the same.

No, I'm not saying that. Now look who's straw manning me. So you're going to call me out on something only to do it yourself not two seconds later? So, then, make your mind about it. Is it O.K. to do it or not?

No because you didn't just make that one statement, you followed "The world isn't just America and the rest of the world a hell hole" up by saying "It sounds as if you think the USA is special, well guess what, it's not."  Which was directed at nymphs argument, both statements were fairly obviously directed at nymphs argument but if you want to be awkward and childish and pretend the first one wasn't it doesn't matter either way, the second statement clearly was you making claims it SOUNDS like she's making then arguing against that claim yourself.

[abaris]

No because you didn't just make that one statement, you followed "The world isn't just America and the rest of the world a hell hole" up by saying "It sounds as if you think the USA is special, well guess what, it's not."  Which was directed at nymphs argument, both statements were fairly obviously directed at nymphs argument but if you want to be awkward and childish and pretend the first one wasn't it doesn't matter either way, the second statement clearly was you making claims it SOUNDS like she's making then arguing against that claim yourself.

Which could have been resolved by simply clarifying each others points. Both statements have some merits and some faults. But they don't warrant several pages of butthurt, in my opinion.

[Joods]

I agree but I wasn't the one who jumped on his case for making a statement that had nothing to do with him personally. You read my first statement. Where the hell does that even imply that I think what ep accused me of? It doesn't and I'm sick and tired of being flamed by him and having my intelligence insulted for posting my thoughts.

[paulpablo]

No because you didn't just make that one statement, you followed "The world isn't just America and the rest of the world a hell hole" up by saying "It sounds as if you think the USA is special, well guess what, it's not."  Which was directed at nymphs argument, both statements were fairly obviously directed at nymphs argument but if you want to be awkward and childish and pretend the first one wasn't it doesn't matter either way, the second statement clearly was you making claims it SOUNDS like she's making then arguing against that claim yourself.

Which could have been resolved by simply clarifying each others points. Both statements have some merits and some faults. But they don't warrant several pages of butthurt, in my opinion.

You can't resolve a false accusation unless the person making that false accusation admits it's false, EP won't admit it's false that's fairly obvious.  That's the only reason this argument will go on for so long is because he will refuse to admit he was wrong, and he's going to give your post kudos as if to say "Yeh you're right Abaris, if only we all just clarified our points better everyone could get along."

His argument was "Well it sounds like you're saying this even though you're not saying it and so therefore I'm going to argue against this point you never even made."  It's the most clear account of textbook strawmanning you could ever do, followed up by his own accusation of other people strawmanning arguments.

Anyone would. (want to live in America rather than the other countries you mentioned) That doesn't say much about America, though. There's a lot of places like America in that regard.  You sound like you think America is somehow special in that. Well, guess what, it's not.

So there you go.  I totally agree with you but I've decided it sounds like you're making an argument that you aren't making and I've decided to argue against that, rather than what you actually said.