I hereby pat everybody in this thread onto the shoulder: You have been honest about your aggression and put it to good use instead. Well done. I appeal to the holy brother Eliezer for giving us the absolution. Err, I mean; well; I don't know. Can we make this into a group celebration like recommended in http://lesswrong.com/lw/3h/why_our_kind_cant_cooperate/ ?
Strange that I wrote this. I was in a somewhat tired but lucid state yesterday evening and this thread felt like community. When I reflected it in the morning I thought: "How could you write that! It must have cost you lots of karma. Quick. Remove at least the reference to the holy brother." But no. The comment sits there with 0 points.
Really new to this site, I'm hitting a problem I've experienced in other aspects of my life as a student, employee and comedic performer: I'm extremely rude. I don't realize it at the time, thinking that I'm just being blunt, forceful and direct. In the sense that those can all be definitions of similar concepts, then yeah! Well, confidence in myself is a great asset, and I've turned it to positive effect, especially when I need to intimidate someone with a roguish smile and a calm, iron-hard assertion backed up by a blistering intensity (I sound like a Marty-Stu right now. Draco will want his leather pants back.)
But making rationally sound argument should not be about winning. It should be about accuracy, clarity and sanity. If you disagree with me on something I need to remind myself not to automatically fight. What good is being alpha when I'm ignoring my confusion and avoiding my embarrassment at possibly being mistaken. Not to mention that this is an internet forum, so limitations of the medium means attempting to look like a tough guy winds up hollow and sad, like a chocolate Easter bunny that's gone off.
Okay, I'm not one for similes, but I am one for trying to make myself more sane.