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We're all affected by vibes and the reason this attack is done at all is to communicate negative vibes and steer anyone not completely able to separate myth from underlying idea (i.e., everyone) will be affected by it. I do not remember the person who I first read a similar comment to yours, but he described normal people as not thinkers but "vibers," and I think that's a pretty good description and these tactics simply work. Arguing this is theoretically possible, especially in the above example, is such an unsatisfying reply because of this and gives cover to people who do it to destroy the founding myth and founding heroes. Is it theoretically possible? Perhaps, but not really in the real world which is why it's done and it's being done in the exact example being discussed.
If attacks on person didn't work, it wouldn't be the number 1 tactic everyone does to attack ideas even in communities like this where people still regularly do stuff like "Person X, known pedophile/racist/antisemite, _________."
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