[Maru]

So I had to re-watch and listened to other people's point of views, as a lot of my initial feelings were more gut-level...

Michael Dyson, I was surprised how little substance there was to a lot of his arguments... I'd seen him on CNN before, and he certainly sounds pretty well educated on these issues, but he uses a lot of filler words (-logically, etc) . I gave him the benefit of the doubt since they were shorter interviews. So I figured with a longer exposure he would rub off better and make some good points. I'm disappointed at his performance in this debate.

He relies too heavily on emotional arguments for me to be persuaded by his rebuttals... particularly on arguments of morality. Having watched so much of how these cultural trends have played out, and how these moral arguments (or judgements) have been used to block healthy discussion about dealing with our cultural divisions, doesn't defuse people's concerns (I think) of those moral assessments and how their basis in PC is reaching more extreme levels... as JP pointed out.

One of the other things I got from this debate. I was surprised in myself that hearing "Angry White Man", didn't set off immediate alarm bells... I think we've just gotten used to these types of racial incriminations, that it's not even shocking anymore... Dyson goes into this epic victim mentality, but it falls on deaf ears I think when he uses these types of attacks.. because it's accomplishing the same things that PC culture is supposedly supposed to prevent... actually shows how ineffective PC culture is at directing healthy discussion.

Michelle I think might as well not have been there, as she started off fine, but then went straight to smears, which wasn't correct having seen the same videos she was quoting. So that did a lot to discredit her for me initially. She seems to be a really good speaker, but a lot of her commentary wasn't as thought provoking... it felt like she was regurgitating at points... but I think her arguments played out and painted a clearer picture of her POV than Dyson's.

Stephen Fry, I didn't really know who he is, but I thought he was uncharacteristically well spoken (as in uncommon) and was very gracious when delivering his points, even if some of them were a bit pointed. For example, when he said Dyson came off a snake oil salesman. I actually think he is a better debater than JP, (JP is "OK"), though JP sort of had to stay on the defensive for most of the debate. I don't think he knows how to get out of that. He got right to the point about how PC doesn't work in his view, where the left can improve from there, but wish I heard more from him and less of the vs JP bickering... that got a bit too predictable after a while, and I enjoyed hearing Fry speak... I may look him up on YT later.