Thursday, January 17, 2013

Here's why you should NEVER use your real name on Cross Currents

A continuation of the previous posts

Cross Currents says:

...anonymity shields these writers from self-reflection, humility, and careful judgment.

Using a fake name also forces the creator of Cross Currents to actually consider your arguments. If you give him your real name, he might take the short cut of undermining your points based on biographical factoids he found on the Internet. Think I'm kidding? Unfortunately, this actually happened when someone called "Avi Burstein" attempted to join a discussion about Haredi culture:
Avi Burstein
January 7, 2013 at 11:02 pm
R’ Menken, unfortunately, your portrayal of how “normal” chareidi people react would be disputed by many people. In my experience, many, probably the vast majority, of “normal” chareidim adopt whatever position they are told is the “Torah True” one to believe. And so, when the people who are supposed to lead the community choose to remain silent, they are allowing the extremists to shape the public opinion, and thereby allow for the problematic view to gain an ever greater grip upon the community. If people like this rav would actually speak up, voice his opinion, and speak out against the extremist view, it would weaken the extremists hold on the community significantly. And it would bring many people who are on the fence to that way of seeing the issue
But instead of actually addressing the claims, his opponent went to Google and tried to demonstrate that Burstein was pretending to knowledge he didn't posses:
Yaakov Menken
January 8, 2013 at 11:04 am
Because Avi Burstein uses his real name, it takes only a moment to learn that Avi was born at roughly the same time that I entered the charedi community, and attended YU. From his description of charedi sociology, it seems to me that he has minimal true familiarity with it, but was fed roughly the same things that my Modern Orthodox college peers believed.
Let's document the atrocities:

(1) How can we be sure that the man who wrote the original comment is actually named "Avi Burstein?" Perhaps "Avi Burstein" is a pseudonym.

(2) The counterargument was made against Burstein's background rather than against the points he actually raised. Such ad hominen arguments are frowned upon in polite society, and a fool proof way to avoid them is to insist on pseudonyms. This exchange cited above suggests one of the reasons Cross Currents wants its readers to use their real names is so that such fallacious attacks remain available to the blog's writers.

(3) Does it need to said that charedim attend YU, and YU graduates sometimes join charedi communities? The mere fact that Burstein attended YU does not preclude him from knowing a thing or two about Charedim.

(4) Leaving all of this aside, how does Yaakov Mencken know he got the right guy? Might there be more than one "Avi Burstein" in the world?

And guess what:
Avi Burstein
January 8, 2013 at 1:16 pm
By the way, I never attended YU. You’re mixing me up with someone else. In case you didn’t know this, sometimes two different people have the same name.
The takeaway seems obvious, so be forewarned: If you're interested in a real discussion of ideas don't use your real name on Cross Currents!

Search for more information about Cross Currents at4torah.com  

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Αmazіng blog! Do you have аnу tiρs for aspiring writеrs?
I'm planning to start my own blog soon but I'm a littlе lost
on eveгythіng. Would уou suggеst stаrting wіth
a fгee platfoгm likе Wordpгеsѕ oг
go fοг а paid oρtion? There аre so
mаny choices оut therе that I'm totally overwhelmed .. Any tips? Many thanks!
My web site - online payday loans

Anonymous said...

Greetings! Very useful advice within this post! It is the
little changes that produce the biggest changes. Many thanks
for sharing!
Also visit my web-site - blackjack online real money

Anonymous said...

Good site you have here.. It's difficult to find quality writing like yours nowadays. I seriously appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!
Here is my page slots online for money

Anonymous said...

I must thank you for the efforts you've put in penning this site. I really hope to view the same high-grade blog posts by you later on as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my very own blog now ;)
Feel free to visit my webpage : casinos in the us

Anonymous said...

Thanks , I've just been searching for information about this subject for a long time and yours is the greatest I have discovered till now. But, what concerning the bottom line? Are you certain in regards to the source?
My web site: forex trading

Anonymous said...

Hello! Someone in my Facebook group shared this website with us so I came
to take a look. I'm definitely loving the information. I'm bookmarking and will
be tweeting this to my followers! Wonderful blog and terrific design and style.
Feel free to visit my web-site ... usa online slots

Anonymous said...

Today, I went to the beach front with my children.
I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said
"You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear." She placed the shell
to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.

She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off topic
but I had to tell someone!
Also visit my web-site jennasworkfromhome.com

Anonymous said...

When someone writes an piece of writing he/she retains the thought of a
user in his/her brain that how a user can be aware of it. So that's why this post is great. Thanks!
Look at my web-site :: slots for money

Anonymous said...

Hello to all, the contents present at this website are actually amazing for
people experience, well, keep up the nice work fellows.
My webpage > schnell geld verdienen

Anonymous said...

I constantly spent my half an hour to read this website's content daily along with a cup of coffee.
Have a look at my blog post - forex news

Anonymous said...

Please let me know if you're looking for a article writer for your blog. You have some really good posts and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I'd absolutely love
to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to
mine. Please blast me an e-mail if interested. Cheers!
My web page - play roulette online for money

Anonymous said...

My brother suggested I would possibly like this web site.
He used to be totally right. This post actually made my day.
You cann't believe simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thank you!

my web-site ... work at home online

Anonymous said...

ativan mg ativan side effects in kids - buy ativan online from canada

Anonymous said...

8vb9q45k0

Feel free to visit my web page ... Payday Advances Loans