Who hasn't learned by, say, age 30 that not everyone likes them? Who on the left hasn't experienced visceral hatred? Whose ideas haven't been dismissed? Who hasn't been called a hypocrite? Who hasn't been treated with maximum disrespect? Whose feelings haven't been hurt? Who doesn't get angry? So what? For those of us who get a good deal of respect, even adulation, isn't this enough? Why, if we have confidence in our ideas and arguments and are satisfied with our behavior, does sharp criticism from someone matter? If we think what a person says is ad hominem or irrational, our best course is to ignore it. If a person refuses to see how wonderful we truly are, we should ask ourselves why our egos are so outsized. We should always try to stick to the issues and not the person. No matter what the verbal or written provocation. I used to be a good basketball player. I hated to lose, and I would do almost anything not to. I would get in a heated argument at least once a week, and I played every day for almost thirty years. That's a lot of arguments. I'd give hard fouls and not call them, but I'd bitch like crazy if someone fouled me and didn't call it. I'd push and shove, trash talk, and "fuck you, asshole" escaped all too frequently from my lips. I never won the good sportsmanship award. Once after another outburst from me, my best friend threw the ball at my head as hard as he could. Luckily, I ducked. But he said, did you ever notice that whenever there is trouble on the court you are ALWAYS involved. Man, that stung. I never forgot this. It is something I carry in my mental suitcase. I have slipped a few times in life since that day but not too many. Oh, and the next year, I did win that sportsmanship award.