Quote:
Originally Posted by Manhattanboy
This thread is classic. Exemplifies what happens so often on CP.
In the face of one of the biggest stories of our generation the OP decides to start a new thread on the origins of Covid-19, of the view, quite fairly, that perhaps there should be a separate discussion as to the origins of the virus, particularly in light of the repeated denials, cover-ups and misinformation on the part of the Chinese government that in no small part resulted in tens of thousands of deaths that likely could have been avoided.
The OP posts an interesting story, provides the source, and suggests that the journalist presents a convincing argument. Nothing more. He doesn't quote it for the truth. He leaves it up to us to form of our own opinions. He concludes by noting, which is well accepted, that regardless of the the origin of the virus the Chinese government knew full well what was happening, did not act nearly quickly enough and failed miserably in their efforts to keep the virus contained.
What happened next was entirely predictable. Serial posters like AFC, who, as noted, rarely misses an opportunity to present himself as the resident CP expert on everything, immediately jumps on the case and rescues us all from any possible misconception that there might be something to the story, and concludes that based on the statements of "every credible scientist he has heard" that the story is absolute garbage. Of course we are required to rely on AFC's opinion as to what constitutes credible science.
Others quickly jump on the bandwagon. The OP should be "embarrassed" for posting the story and is forced to admit that he doesn't necessarily believe the journalist. He never said he did in the first place. Another scolds him for bad form in not qualifying his post with the usual "interesting if true" lest we draw the wrong conclusion that he must believe the story to be true.
And of course, out of remorse for starting the discussion, he is forced to walk things back (he should not have been required to post any follow-up in the first place), having been shamed to confess that he really doesn't know what to believe.
Never change CP.
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You know I looked through all of my posts on the B Johnson thread and at no point did I say I knew what was happening, I was clear to post that what I was posting was what the Guardian and LBC were reporting as rumours, we all post and reply to posts, by definition none of us are posting anything we don't think is possibly true and presumably interesting but the whole point of this forum is for us to disagree and debate, not one thing that anyone posts here outside the more technical threads like how to repair a PC or the like is anything more than fodder for debate, it's not like any of us have any expertise on most anything we are commenting on.
The original poster put up his post, I gave him my opinion of his post, that's the whole point of a talkboard no?