You have to be awed by the power of "that's just conjecture / you didn't talk about ____" plus "too much long-winded nonsense" plus "I'm not listening to a thing you say because you've already revealed yourself as a ____".

Wielded judiciously, the verbal artist need never worry that any of their own beliefs will be the least bit threatened, and can simultaneously revel in the feeling of a principled and rational outlook.

Granted, my "awe" is akin to the "awe" that I have regarding the power of cluster bombs used in civilian areas: i.e. it's the intellectual equivalent of war crimes.

I wish I knew better how to coax people away from that stuff. Sending them to the Hague doesn't seem like an optimal strategy.