Observations: June 2006 Archives

The other day, I made what I think is a very apt analogy comparing the security product industry to the diet and herbal supplement industry.

• Both operate with little to no oversight or regulation (though security at least has bloggers and scientists willing to call out some of the more egregious offenders)
• Products often have little to no academic, scientific or factual basis for their designs or claims
• Products tend toward the panacea/"silver bullet" realm and claim to solve all your ills

I'm sure that I am missing some more...

But this here herring is so obviously red at Pandagon

I love the way they cut through the bullshit in this argument and reveal the naked fallacy underpinning it. It is a shame when proponents use the fact that society (wrongly) denigrates some activity (prostitution, homosexuality, gay marriage, being single, being a nontheist, etc.) that in itself has nothing to do with them and on its face is not "immoral" and has nothing to do with those who denigrate it and then writes off the fact that those engaging in the activity get victimized (wrongly) by saying that they knew the consequences ahead of time, so what's the big deal? Really irritating tactics.