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Originally Posted by ctandc

How is that irrational? I'm simply stating that a person's opinions / beliefs are shaped by their experiences. It's one thing to talk about this on an internet message board. It's another thing entirely to talk about it after a friend, a co-worker, a family member or even yourself, has been DIRECTLY affected by the actions of these extremists.



I don't get that one. But I guess if you are well insulated from these issues, then it would seem as an "appeal to emotion".



It's the internet..so I take it as such..but from the context of your post, it seems like you might be inferring that I am coming off as some sort of "internet tough guy". If that's the case, you are way off target. I served my country in the military for more than a few years. That was my choice alone. In some of the positions that I was put in, I experienced things that many people never will....let me rephrase..I , and the many people I served with, experienced things that I hope no other person has to experience. But regardless of that fact, EVERYTHING that happens in your life, helps to shape the person you become. That's a simple fact.



We made quite a jump here.

And since you "clearly" place reason over emotion, then please don't ASSUME that you would make certain decisions. How can you use "reason" to assume you'd make certain decisions in positions / environments that you have never been in? That's called an assumption. With no facts to back that assumption. NO ONE can predict how they will react to certain situations. And you may call it "emotion" but decisions made by human beings in stressful situations are influenced by "emotion". It's what makes us human in the first place.

^^ good post