"Hypocrite, Opportunist, don't infect me with your poison."
-Thom Yorke, from Punch up at a Wedding

In his indictment of society's collective dyslexia, Nick brings up the important topic of fallacious arguments. "Name Calling", a classic case of the Ad Hominem fallacy is perhaps the most rampant in all societies. One only needs to open a newspaper or any other form of popular media to be inundated with instances of it.

Currently, meaningless one-liners like "axis of evil" or "rogue state" seem to be particularly popular examples. Worryingly, these and other such nonsense are often propogated by what is foolishly considered to be the 'Intelligentsia'....a distinguished graduate of Harvard Business School in the above examples.

Of course, this sensationalist garbage gets lapped up by millions of undiscerning media-consumers who need only a handful of trite catch-phrases upon which to base their entire philosophies on life. Proponents of insightful writing and journalism, take heed: The seemingly endless 'spectacle' that Nick refers to is in its golden age.

As I pondered this topic last night, I came to appreciate the fact that only a minute minority have the chance to learn basic epistemology or linguistics and thereby familiarize themselves with such pitfalls of language. It would probably take a Herculean leap in global education standards even to get the average college graduate to know and understand the meanings of the two words. So, in the mean time, we should perhaps just try to teach people to be civil.

According to a body of research documented at the following website, empathy-inducing drugs would help.

http://www.biopsychiatry.com