Do you think I’ve written this to apologize, or to lecture?
More like a lecture and unlike an apology I'd say, although there's no sense of heavy-handedness or 'superiority' :)
Has my argument been effective? Have you identified with it? Maybe even gained a little insight?
Certainly identified with it - ie the point about ad-hominems being distractions from the content/argument itself. All the more so in light of a series of responses to a post written in order to identify and perhaps exclude a certain type of Hiver (according to the author, Quackwatch) using, IMO, some of the (negative) dynamics you mention in your post. It backfired pretty dramatically btw.
Cheers 👍
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