I’ve had lots of practice since the time, long ago, when I discovered the power of patient persistence. I also recognize the power of responding to rudeness with courtesy.
I avoid explicitly citing a statement as a “strawman,” as I avoid explicitly citing any logical fallacy. Doing so weakens the effectiveness of my retort. Instead, I simply explain my statements and lead back to my main idea, which in this case is the relation between science and politics. I refuse to be drawn off message.
I find that humor, particularly satire, is an effective means of expressing oneself.
Here are a couple of examples:
I notice that your comments tend to be short, terse and directly to the point. That is a very effective way of expressing your thoughts.
