I think that so often we make assumptions about the intent or motives of another person based on a little bit of information......and instead of checking it out (which I find is best done by communicating our judgments then asking them if they agree, we resort to name calling.

It happened to me in one of my first posts to mudcat where I became involved in a discussion.   I don't even know where I'd look to find it, and I said something that proved to be incorrect.

And Don Firth, since, you don't seem to be afraid to put yourself forward, I'll take the risk and let you know that it was you.   I doubt if you'll remember....but I think it had something to do with me confusing the 7th chord with what is called the 'dominant 7th' chord, and, while I can't remember the words used, the impression was that somehow I was pretending to be a know-it-all who was spreading false information about topics I knew nothing about. In actual fact I was only trying to get some feedback on what appeared to me to be a point of confusion.....the different way that I believed chords were labelled in the pop music and the classical music tradition.

I wasn't looking for an argument, a fight, praise, or a personal putdown (I got the latter).   

It's true that I had been wrong, and I think it was important that I was corrected.....and I appreciated the correction.    But the 'tone' of the correction inhibited me from posting much more.....until fairly recently.

And I guess it affected me because I still remember it. And I'm glad to be able to have the opportunity, with the greatest respect for you, to put this forward.

While I think it's good to develop a strong backbone, I have to agree with McGrath from Harlow when he writes "Politeness is in fact a far better weapon in inflicting damage on a faulty argument."