Reactions Can Teach Us a Lot About the Soundness of One's Position

HISTORIAN #1: The Holocaust is a myth; it never happened.

HISTORIAN #2: [Rolls eyes] Whatever... [Walks away]

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GEOGRAPHER #1: The earth is flat - flat I tells ya'!

GEOGRAPHER #2: [Rolls eyes] Whatever... [Walks away]

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SPORTS FAN #1: The Vikings have the best fans in all of sports!

SPORTS FAN #2: [Rolls eyes] Whatever... [Walks away]

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THINK TANK GUY #1: The hysteria surrounding global cooling warming climate change is way overblown, and the evidence linking it to human activity is hypothetical at best and specious at worst.

THINK TANK GUY #2: It is my intention to destroy your career as a liar. If you produce one more editorial against climate change, I will launch a campaign against your professional integrity. I will call you a liar and charlatan to the Harvard community of which you and I are members. I will call you out as a man who has been bought by Corporate America. Go ahead, guy. Take me on. And by the way, I have no pecuniary interest in perpetuating the hysteria whatsoever.