> It seems to me that I have had this experience. Example:
> I try to explain some novel interpretation to someone and
> he superficially agrees and says that that is how he has
> always seen things -- then it becomes clear that he is
> projecting his own non-novel interpretation onto my words,
> no matter what phrasing and rephrasing I use.

Aw, you're still miffed about the way I "misinterpret" your ideas
about the pursuit of truth, aren't you? I think you'll find I'm very
receptive to people who use ordinary, understandable English. I think
you'll find I'm not the only one who realizes that you certainly
don't have a habit of speaking very directly.


> There is the concept in the study of Borderline
> Personality Disorder (BPD) called "splitting." It involves
> interpreting individuals only as either pure good or
> pure evil. It seems to me that when a person is
> interpreted by a splitter as a Good that everything he
> says must be reinterpreted as agreeing with everthing the
> splitter already thinks is true.
> That would be a Plotonic ideal case, and perhaps we see
> a little bit of splitting action in everyone -- and
> perhaps more often in certain races and populations.

That's "Platonic," and if it makes you feel better, I still think
you're a "Good." (Just halfway nuts.)


--Mark