@Joonas: Interesting, you obviously like "Mr Bean". Of all the things Rowan Atkinson has done--serious & comedy--"Bean" is the only one that doesn't move me. His other comedy things e.g. "Blackadder" would provide you with an education in sardonic English humour. Incompetent, bungling spy, "Johnny English", was so funny; he really ridiculed, "Mister Bond"!! Atkinson can certainly act. His (serious) portrayal of "Inspector Maigret" was the best I've ever seen.

@tony What makes you think I like Mr Bean? I don't quite see how that'd be obvious.

@JoonasIlmavirta I don't know why, but this made me picture you having a longstanding comedic distate for Mr. Bean.

@Adam It can easily be read to have that tone, but my only point was to challenge and understand the way the conclusion was reached. I was careful not to disclose my actual view of the said character.

@JoonasIlmavirta Oh, I know. I found ironic comedy in imagine someone rational and calm like yourself having irrational rage about a fictional character.

@Adam "I'm deeply offended by the way this fictional world someone created quickly for fun has technical inconsistencies!"

There's certainly comic potential in badly chosen standards to hold things to.

@JoonasIlmavirta Clearly this is not canon and is a travesty.

Or my personal favorite, "someone said something on the internet and I disagree and I must argue!"

@Adam "This one detail is not as I unduly expected and I'm thus bound to hate this whole thing."

@Adam "My argument will certainly convince the other party of their folly and make them come their senses, which of course means agreeing with me."

@JoonasIlmavirta "You are clearly wrong because I said so"

"I read it on a single random blog post from 2009 so my opinion is absolutely supported and true"

@Adam Experience shows that that's a very effective strategy in making people change their minds. I'm sure we can all easily recall all the instances we were convinced of something that way...

@JoonasIlmavirta The only thing more effective is Twitter.

Do you use it?

I don't know many people who do.

But journalists, politicians, and large companies seem to be addicted to it.

And querulants.

@Cerberus I can't name a single person using Twitter that I know in person.

Nor married ones.

Not even married ones, eh.

Then it is serious.

Yeah, that effect.

Internet discussions can bring out the worst in us.

Some of us are just more argumentative than others. I certainly have been very guilty.

Of course, now I know the point isn't to convince the interlocutor, but the crowd.

And yet, I am only human, so I fail still.

I am not unguilty either.

But I do think Internet discussions have a negative effect on people.

People who are not normally argumentative.

@Cerberus Oh, I don't disagree with that at all.

I do!

And they can make things worse for sure.

You're wrong!

No!

@Cerberus You're right.

No I'm not!

How dare you tell me what I am!

@Cerberus Well, if you say so!

I didn't, I only typed it!

I disagree.

How dare you tell me what I did!

I didn't!

Discrimination!

Blasphemy!

You did!

Suddenly, I have the urge to watch the Monty Python argument sketch.

Ah, I think I remember that one.

That one!

@Cerberus I've had one since 2006, actually, but I never use it.

@Cerberus No, that's not the one! You're wrong again.

Oh, noes!

@cmw Probably the most realistic depiction of the human condition, ever.