Shakes asked,

"Would you say that the problems I touched on earlier, such as responding to an idea with an ad hominem attack or insult against the person who presented the idea rather than responding to the idea itself, don't happen among people who think of themselves as part of the Mudcat virtual community? I think that would be the case in a real-world community. Are the people who do that either outsiders themselves or else replying to someone they think of as an outsider?"

I think ad hominem occurs wherever there are hominids. I think there is less ad hominem on Mudcat than on many other internet sites (but don't mention MacColl). I have never done a study to determine whether what ad hominem there is comes from outsiders, or is directed at outsiders, or what, and I decline to offer an opinion.

We are way off-topic here. You may want to post a question, in the BS section, about Mudcat sociology. I should perhaps note that all my experience with Mudcat has come from above the line, as I almost never look at the BS portion.