Yesterday, I posted a nasty bit about Mish Shedlock.
It was a mistake—I fucked up.
Personally, I feel contempt at Shedlock’s condescencion to other writers, and lack of even simple courtesy towards their views. I also think he does a disservice to his readers by being so willfully blind to the facts, thereby steering them in the wrong direction.
But it was wrong of my to stick him publicly. I should have simply ignored him, as I have before, no matter how irritating and disagreeable he has been towards me.
His snide little comment on The Hourly G, and his line about how “some people don’t know how to read”, ticked me. Shedlock has also accused me of not knowing how to write, and holding positions “too stupid to debate”.
I have ignored him before—I should have ignored him again. But my bad luck, he caught me tired and in an off mood.
So please excuse me: I fucked up.
I’m sure—nay, positive—that I will fuck up again. But hopefully, it won’t be for a good long while.
GL
What?!? You're human???
ReplyDeleteC deK
There is no reason to apologize. Mish is a rude SOB, so you nailed him.
ReplyDeleteYou're still the man GL ...
ReplyDeleteThe perils of writing in an instantaneous medium
ReplyDeleteGL
ReplyDeleteYou are much smarter than Mish. Once you can truly internalize that, it will be easier to ignore him.
Because he was accurate about the housing crash, I thought he was brilliant, until I continued to read him everyday. Ultimately I realized he was a one trick pony. The first tipoff was his attitude. The universe is taking care of his arrogance by leading him astray in his judgement.
I fear the same will happen to you, if you do not become more kind.
You just went up 10 points in my book. I'm not as smart as either you or Mish, therefore I enjoy reading different opinions.
ReplyDeleteRespect is the only word that pops up in my mind right no. It takes i big man to do what you just did.
ReplyDeleteMaking mistakes, and subsequently owning up to them, is the hallmark of excellent journalism and leadership.
ReplyDeleteIf you do not ever make mistakes, it either means you are perfect (an impossibility), or that you never take risks. If you never take risks, you never have anything interesting to say, or to add to the conversation that isn't already obvious or not open to debate.
Making mistakes is the first step. The G.W. Bush administration made tons of mistakes, disastrously so, but you can't argue that they weren't boldly taking the country in a new direction and dramatically altering the status quo.
But the reasons those mistakes were so disastrous, and continued to be disastrous, is that they never once bothered to acknowledge when they got things wrong and altered their future decision making accordingly. Their rigid, unchanging (and unchangeable, even in the face of blindingly obvious evidence) ideology blinded them to the truth.
It goes back to one of your earlier posts, about truth seekers not being afraid of exploring the opposition. It is your willingness to do so that sets you apart from others. The day that stops being a fundamental part of your voice is the day you become irrelevant.
Yes, no worries.....hmmm would you rather read and follow someone that encourages discourse or a dumbfuck who says I am right and everybody else is wrong--- I wonder what kind of performance his managed accounts are showing? Dogmatic does not do it these days.
ReplyDeleteGonzalo as I wrote earlier Mish is a dumbfuck!!
Good of you to "man up" regarding your error. In fact, and in life, it is not so much "what" you say but "how" you say it. We all have to learn how to speak boldly, but leave the resentment out of it -- then perhaps we have learned the true secret of Jesus.
ReplyDeleteOne admonition for you is to stop using/writing foul language such as the "f" word. It makes a man no less of man to leave such language out; in fact, a strong and confident man has no need for it and is a dignified human being, in the way he (or she) wishes others to be and behave.
Regards, Paul.
Its akin to having an annoying little dog that snaps at you frequently. Mish is that little fucking annoying dog. Sooner or later you have to give that little dog a slap.
ReplyDeleteThat little yappy dog needs to be put in his place.
Yesterdays rant was you shaking your leg and Mish falling off.
I do agree with your virgin theory, no woman in there right mind would want to fuck him just for practice.
Hey, thanks for taking the anti-Mish post down. I didn't follow the exchange closely enough to know who was right or wrong, but I was sorry to see the tone of the discussion drop. There's a saying that good thinkers focus on ideas and facts and inadequate thinkers focus on personalities. Apparently you are a good thinker.
ReplyDeleteI hope Mr. Shedlock will follow your example.
Your admirer, Katie
Further to Anonymous Paul @ 12:16
ReplyDeleteIt was Vonnegut, IIRC, who said that an author's use of foul language gives his opponents an excellent excuse to cover their ears to _everything_ the author says.
He's having a hard time holding onto his position in light of current factual data on inflation.
ReplyDeleteHe's also to be forgiven for not realizing that our Fed chairman, with his puppy dog face, is a psychotic lunatic flooding the world with paper as a last Hail Mary before the paper is abandoned.
So like Mike, it's O.K. for you to fuck up. It's the 'Nanke, when he fucks up (and fucks up ROYAL if you ask me) that seals the deal.
Now that's worth it!!
ReplyDeleteGL, Mish is in a position you will be in. Mish has had enough of the criticism etc over the years and one tends to become defensive rather too quickly. It is all rather human!!
I personally think both of you are right! Inflation in the short/medium term but the long term is debt deflation and depression. After all there is a limit to how much can be borrowed and how effective that money will be.
On behalf of the world I decree that you are forgiven for being human. Carry on Gonzalo.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with your use of the "F" word and other colorful language but it may be a major turnoff for some readers. You might want to consider an alternative word.
ReplyDeleteOf course the use of the "F" word might also gain you some readers so you'll have to decide on the birth/death model.
You could have just said "I f'ed up"
Taking someone to task is one thing. You were very correct to confront his positions. Confronting them passionately is also warranted. But personal attacks only make you look like the adolescent. Don't stop debating. Stop the ad hominem. And way to take the high road for accepting responsibility and committing to professionalism.
ReplyDeleteTess from Kansas writes: I wish I had a rose to smell.
ReplyDeleteGonzolo, I'd really like to know what sources you've read that Texas doesn't have a problem. Remember, the problem is not specifically unions per se. It's what unions bring along, including expensive and overly generous pensions. Just because Texas doesn't have government employee unions doesn't mean there aren't problems. There are, and it wasn't hard to find.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.unionfacts.com/states/state.cfm?state=TX
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=180x66993
http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Texas_public_pensions
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/7399728.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/7389052.html
http://www.tiva.org/tivanew/node/212
Look, I get that you and Mish are at each others' figurative throats.
But Mish is still clearly right. There is PLENTY to cut from fat government benefits even in Texas.
Personal attacks - juvenile.
ReplyDeleteFoul language - juvenile.
Stay above it GL. Erudition is seldom expressed in profanity. JFK and Winston Churchill never needed it and their powerful words have become immortal.
its so gratifying to see humility in you GL.
ReplyDeleteTo err is human, to admit it is divine!
Anand
I suppose his "Some people can't read" comment should be translated. Allow me.
ReplyDeleteThat means: I (MS) am always right. I am good. I write fantastic truth over and over to educate the proletariat. My time is very valuable. I am an expert at all sorts of stuff. You should be so lucky I am here to explain the complicated world of finance to you dolts!