Agnotology: Ten Methods of Manufacturing Ignorance
Experts in the manufacturing of ignorance are adept at presenting themselves as serious intellectuals. They learn the language of academic and policy research institutions, write elegantly, feign an interest in discourse and appear in wonkosphere to slug it out with people in the know. With misleading quotations and numbers, they confuse readers. It does not matter if an idea is supported by overwhelming evidence and impeccable logic; these experts have the ability to make it appear as though it were just another idea floating in the galaxy of equally legitimate ideas. How does agnotology play out in the Ethiopian new media ecosystem? I have observed ten methods used by some EPRDF-leaning regular commenters on Addis Neger.
Agnotology studies the systematic production of ignorance through distortion of perception. Robert Proctor coined the term to explain the tobacco industry’s once fruitful effort to cast doubt on the vast scientific research which established causal relationship between smoking and cancer. The assumption of agnotology is that ignorance should not always be understood negatively, that is, as an absence of knowledge. It is, in many contexts, manufactured. Experts in the manufacturing of ignorance are adept at presenting themselves as serious intellectuals. They learn the language of academic and policy research institutions, write elegantly, feign an interest in discourse and appear in wonkosphere to slug it out with people in the know. With misleading quotations and numbers, they confuse readers. It does not matter if an idea is supported by overwhelming evidence and impeccable logic; these experts have the ability to make it appear as though it were just another idea floating in the galaxy of equally legitimate ideas. How does agnotology play out in the Ethiopian new media ecosystem? I have observed ten methods used by some EPRDF-leaning regular commenters on Addis Neger.
1. Play a Jekyll and Hyde game: Commenter “Jekyll” EPRDFite starts his/her comment by praising the past – sometimes ‘heroic’- achievement of the writer of the main entry and, in many cases, the newspaper. S/he mentions the writer’s past record of unflinching independence, objectivity and academic rigor. And then, using a well-known conjunction, s/he turns into Commenter “Hyde” EPRFite. S/he proffers utter shock and bewilderment and, in many cases, a feeling of personal betrayal by the writer’s gradual morphing into a crank, a sabre-rattler, an utterly irrational and inflexible commentator.
2. Play the “I still give you credit” card: The commenter claims to still be hoping that the writer reverses the course. “The new self is beneath the real you,” s/he declares. Sometimes, the commenter deploys the famous Noam Chomsky bluff: since you do not mean what you say (because you are better than this), I forgive you.
3. Play the “Middle is better” mantra: The commenter accuses the writer of losing the middle ground and only espousing one side of the argument.
4. Play the “Diaspora” card: The writer is told that s/he is detached from Ethiopia’s reality as s/he lives far away from the country. Come and see what is happening, s/he is urged. In some case, the writer’s miserable life working odd jobs in the West is briefly mentioned.
5. Play “the intellectual lightweight” argument: The commenter argues that the writer obviously has not read unnamed books and research papers on the subject. S/he further suggests that s/he is disheartened by the support the writer is getting from “fans” (not thoughtful commenters).
Mark you; there has not yet been a response to the substance of the article.
6. Ignore the writer’s proposition: The commenter creates a straw man. If the writer casts doubts about Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity numbers, the commenter responds by quoting Ethiopia’s rank on HDI. If the writer talks about human rights abuses in Ethiopia, the commenter responds by pointing out the problem of the Ethiopian opposition groups.
7. Pose polite questions: The writer is asked to answer very polite questions not about the points of his/her article, but about his/her general beliefs. The questions appear to be thoughtful.
8. Exaggerate some of the writer’s claims: Without responding to the main subject, the commenter picks one or two points the writer makes and amplifies them so that they sound like irrational claims.
9. Use the “I don’t support EPRDF” disavowal: The commenter ends the comment with a firm statement: S/he does not support EPRDF. S/he is there as a heroically responsible citizen who calls out people trying to distort the truth or peddle extremist views.
10. Make the response very long.
Busted!!
This was funny, some of it true – I have to cut and paste this 2 put in my back pocket!
another pathetic piece from the self appointed GURU of Ethiopian politics.i think u r currently in a state of desperation which already concluded u r not entitled to enter to Ethiopia as far as EPRDF is in power unless u make it in a humiliation fashion as your predecessors made it “EPRDF egir lay mewdek”.so i am not surprised by your comment including the former ones since u r already joined the league of ELIAS KIFLE’S
Though it is painful u have to swallow it EPRDF will always be the winner and proved u wrong in every aspects.
Abiye
Still another manifestation of how you are arrogant. You refused to accept that people might have ideas and ideology which is very different from what you believe. In the first place why are you categorizing people who commnt against your idea as EPRDFites. So still I will have some polite questions.
1. If those who commented against your article/stories are EPRDFs, who you are?
2. You didn’t say anything about those who blindly support your article/story with comments that have no any relevance to the idea presented, but supported with insults to the government or to those who argue against the points presented.
3. Recently I have understood that you got very annoyed if people commented against your ideas or ideologies. So what you can do is just block these comments from being posted, (like other websites who do not entertain opposite ideas)
What do you mean by ‘refusing other ideas’? We are not here to preach, convert and transform eachother. We just exchange ideas and take whatever seems palatable. Always deal on ideas, bring counter arguments and convince participants – don’t try to be a ‘missionary’.
Yo Abiye here is the evidence. ABD is using the same tactics you outlined. ABD rather than rush stright to charachter assasination why not tell us which of these points you agree or disagree. In a typical TPLFite fashion you do not address the issue. You just go for the low blow
Abiye
About the only thing getting busted by this post is your credibility
ABD,
You are not as good as the Eprdf people portrayed in Abiye’s agnotology. Still, you were able to respect rule #s 6 and 8. Tenekabachehu.
Agnotology: Abiye Teklemariam’s Ten Methods
1.Impress the fools: copy and paste articles and create bogus connections to look as “intellectual” and “elite”….am kidding Ato Abiye, you are an elite!!…LOL
2.Denial: Echo whatever negative fiction there is as long as it fits your stance, when people find out it is erroneous… act as nothing happened.
3.Fear mongering: Unless you keep on telling the herd about the coming doomsday, they will go astray to the greener pastures.
4.Trust in the Abiye with all your heart and Do not lean on your own understanding.
5.I am a firm believer in the right of expressing one’s idea unless they praise me in every comment.
6.You can call names and insult anything woyanne, but if you dare to challenge my ‘gods’ and ‘goddesses’ feeble ideas, that is the end of it.
7.If you are confused and a political loser, ANO is the best ‘lekso bet’.
8.Don’t forget to complement each other (ANO Admins) in every chance we get!! Okay, Arbegnoch!!
9.Make a swift response to anyone exposing my shallow articles!!
10.I am a political refugee and CPJ helped me so far, guys it’s my life!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!
Abyie, I am sure i will fall under one of your phony categories. and you know what, i don’t care. As the holy Bible has it “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye ” you consider yourself to be infallible and unerring, while anyone that raises even the most watered down of criticism against you an EPRDFite and a manufacturer of pseudo knowledge. This must be the lowest point in your writing carrier….I don’t doubt the depth of your intellect but i think emotion has gotten into you so bad that your recent blogs (including this one) smells like the work of a demagogue/ideologue rather than an intellectual of your caliber. If you think i’m just one of those haters (EPRDFites), reexamine your 10 methods just changing some of the nuances. I can assure you that you will get none other than the infamous article that appeared on one of the government paper and subsequently republished by you guys some months before the closure of Addis Neger. If my memory does not fail me, that article basically charges that you guys were violating all the new rules (anti terror and stuff) in the book. As preposterous as it seemed, the article used almost all of your 10 points in making its case. i feel disheartened to see you doing the same to your critics (by generalizing them). I am sure Berket Simon would be proud of you;as you took after him. Double standard and hypocrisy is the two phrases that can explain your 10 methods. In any case, I always wish you well!
Abiye
I have two questions for you:
1.How can a commenter be EPRDF-leaning simply because s/he asks the writer to be neutral?
2.How can a commenter be EPRDF-leaning simply because s/he states the writer is peddling extremist views?
Aynu,
X shows behavior y doesn’t mean that everyone who shows behavior y is x.
Abiye
That’s exactly my point. But your article doesn’t seem to be clear enough in this regard.
Abiye, that is so True. But, your article does not respect that. Please think about how you managed to classify the ‘EPRDFites’ here in ANO? Have you seen their id? Or have they openly expressed their attachment with EPRDF? Have you seen them working for EPRDF? Or what? What is your proof of categorizing them as EPRDFites?
Isn’t it only some of the arguments they made, which is similar to known EPRDF views, that makes you consider them as an EPRDFite? …….And that is fundamentally Ad hominem.
Let me ask you to take a breath, pause a bit and Think….You are labeling your fans as your enemies!! You Got to Think Abiye; For God’s Sake…. This is Getting so Silly.
Fact
Abiye used the term “EPRDF-leaning”. One does not necessarily have to be a member of EPRDF to be EPRDF-leaning commenter on this site. But I must admit the probability is high. For instance, I don’t know if you are a member of EPRDF but I can say that you are EPRDF-leaning commenter. Why I say this? Because you repeatedly posted comments praising the actions of EPRDF.
Aynu, I mostly observed your comments as rationally aligned, and there are a number of individuals in this sphere who like engaging themselves in such a constructive discourse. That excludes Abiye by the way. In some topics, I may have differed from the views of those individuals, but I have to admit that there were many viewpoints that I appreciated in those discussions. I have said it many times, and am saying it yet again – I am neither a supporter nor a member of EPRDF. If I were, there is absolutely nothing hampering me from declaring it. Even the Facebook politician Abiye is not embarrassed for officially declaring his hatred tag-untag criteria on ANO.
Well, there is no feigning here actually, why would I? Only a mentally crippled person could expect me to lie here on a blogosphere. However, lately, I started getting annoyed with the polarizing posts of ANO -especially Abiye -and I couldn’t bear it anymore. He was given a league that he didn’t even deserve. Now, I am convinced that I didn’t really know who I was supporting, and it was because I lacked an exhaustive exposure to Abiye’s intrinsic ideology. Wait sometime and you will be there.
I suggest you to read between the lines of Abiye’s recent posts – All are filled with detestation, defense and desperation. And a politician/journalist of that nature is not wise and astute; the temper would only let you achieve temporary flattering comments – nothing more.
This is the most childish comment ever. Abiye is unfair so I am annoyed. Thus, I am forced to support EPRDF on ANO. “Emamiye jbu daboyen belaw.” Ridiculous.
Fact
Rather than getting annoyed with Abiye’s articles, I urge you to keep engage him in the discussion in a civilized manner. I know you can do this. Generally, I like Abiye’s writings. But that does not mean that I agree with him all the time. When he writes something that I don’t agree I will tell him why I don’t agree. I hope we all do this so that we learn from one another.
Point #9 Deny you are nuetral while advocating TPLF’s line. We know all about it Fact. Jibe yemayawkew ager hedo kurbet antefulgene yilal.
@fact
In fact there is a very simple reason why you don’t want to admit that you are a either a member or supporter of EPRDF. You are a fifth columnist who is probably paid by EPRDF to dismantle constructive dialogue on Ethiopian politics which could potentially threaten the government. While Bereket and company do this openly in the country as they control everything there, they send mercenaries like you to attack neutral sites such as ANO. Of course we don’t also forget the AIGA forums who claim to present fake alternatives. So EPRDF is waging the propaganda war from various fronts and infiltrators could, of course, never openly disclose their true affiliation as that is against the very nature of their mission. By the way I really hope that you would not accuse me of calling you names because being an infiltrator and a mercenary are in fact occupations.
Fact, I just remembered i replied this to your comment on the Mao story the other day.
“Forgive me, but your reactions are out of proportion. I do not believe that you are a disappointed AN fan, but rather you are just making a carefully designed comments to demoralize the AN team. A guy who sounds smart like you should know better, I think.” I also felt like Abiye on reading some comments.
@Bekur
I was a disappointed AN fan, but not anymore.
Disappointment comes when you can’t give up on something. But I did already. AN is no different from AIGA to me, cause I could be tagged two different names on both websites. And here, thanks to the great mind of some people, we have a systematic way of tagging.
A well-written framework of labeling and tagging; a structured camouflage of weakness!!
The piece draws nothing but guilt by association – It attacks some people (labeled as EPRDFites) because of the similarity between some of the views of those people and the actual proponents of the same views.
The obvious trend is:-
Mr X makes claim P.
EPRDFites also make claim P.
Therefore, Mr X is an EPRDFite.
A Xerox of an assumed pro-EPRDF medias’ mentality
Mr Y claims q
Anti-EPRDFites also make claim q
Therefore, Mr Y is an Anti-EPRDFite
What a difference!! Indeed, Ethiopians have a choice.
Dude,
Mariamin ahunis sira betam fetehal. Zim bileh lehuluam neger analysis litiset timokraleh indea… aree friend teregaga.
This article is absurd!
I believe this platform on ANO is for everybody to give his/her opinion. And yet, by composing this 10 rubbish points you are trying to subtly attack the mind set of the future commenters.
I guess things are not going as rapidly as you wanted in creating an elitist, high-tech savvy, young and energetic opposition gang.
Abiye, you are better than this.
Yourself are busted!
Teddy
See how people can be misguided easily. You are still blindly following Abey’s way and even you already started referring those #s. Actually that’s what Abey wants. It is so sad. Please refer my statement # 2 above. You beling to that category. Abey should have said something about you and the likes.
It feels like Abiye is talking about his own recent defensive behavior.
አብይ ሌላ አንተ ያልጠቀስከው እና አሁን አሁን በጣም እያበበ የመጣው የማጣጣያ ክስ(ad hominem):-በጥላቻ ሰውን መክሰስ:: አንድ ሰው ሌላውን በፍጹም ሳይጠላ የሃሳብ ልዮነቱን በጥላቻ ብቻ የተፈጠረ አድርጎ የማቅረብ ነገር!!
ሌላ ሊዘነጋ የማይገብው ጉዳይ እነሱ በጣም ተደራጅተው ምን አልባትም ከማእከል በሚሰጣቸው መመሪያ መሰረት የሚሰሩ መሆኑ ነው::
Here you go! How can you prove if the commentators, who reflects different views from that of yours are EPRDFites. It would have been nice if you could share us the methodology you have employed to come up with this outcome. I know that some of the extreme supporters of the opposition parties often label their comrades as woyane if they express different views. By the same token, I wonder if you are attempting to mark those commentators who deviate from your views as EPRDFites.
How long are you going to hide yourself under the disguise of journalism? You better free yourself by declaring your true identity. Your articles so far clearly reveal that neither of you are neutral journalists. For the bewilderedness of many of us who have known you for a long your articles in this website carries the views of the extreme politicians. What is not known yet is that to which particular opposition party you belong. You owe us to know your party!
Well Abiye,
I continue to be your fan and feel that if there was a young and effective politician that I would follow from my ages groups ,it would be you.
The conception of agnotology is new to me an educational as usual.But while you could have used this concept to huge number of cases in our politics , you limited it to Addis Neger.Why now focus this huge concept on your blog and readership while you could have seen agnotology in the manufactured ignorance in local media (ETV,ET.Radio and blockage of VOA,ESAT), the agnotology in schools and ethiopia’s public sphere all created by EPRDF/TPLF was worth exploring.
I know that those 10 points are vivid in AddisNeger,nevertheless, they don’t worth this much analysis,effort and time.
I swear, I have read comments that match to what is pointed in each of your lists. Nice observation Abiye; It is okay to know all categorized so that writers be aware of them in advance.
ABD,
You just committed to whatever Abiy has been saying above! lol
Abiy, u took my words away! Thanx for the great observation.
Another great article by Abiye. Keep up the good work bro! ABD’s obvious far-fetched and irrelevant comments are ironically good showecase that substantiate Abiye’s aforementioned ‘methods used by some EPRDF-leaning regular commenters on Addis Neger.’ … ABD and other narrow-minded and biased EPRDF commenters are BUSTED … lol
Fact,
Nice try. I didn’t make two separate claims. No syllogism, no therefore.
Isubalew,
It is absurd to say that ANO is a forum for everyone. No forum is for everyone. ANO is an Ethiopian pro-democracy forum. It has strict rules and people who do not follow the rules are not allowed to participate. With respect to tech-savvy Ethiopians, fear not. The problem is Addis Neger Online is blocked in Ethiopia and it is difficult to comment on this platform even for tech-savvy Ethiopians. It is not the challenge from them that is ANO’s problem. It is the lack of proxy server unassisted access.
Abiye,
I never knew a pro-democracy forum would not allow an idea that is not in sync with its dogma. To remind you this is ANO’s mission statement -
“በድረ ገጻችን (አዲሰ ነገር) ለአገራችን ገንቢ አስተዋጽኦ ሊያበረክቱ ይችላሉ በሚል እምነት ከተለያዩ ወገኖች የሚቀርቡ አስተያየቶች፣ አቋሞች፣ ትንተናዎች፣ ዘገባዎች…ይቀርባሉ”።
And when people candidly start to comment, suggest & blog on ANO to help bring change to the current course of the country through flawless educated conversation, you start this smear tactics. I only say this, Abiye, you are frighten us (your hard core supporters) in the speed of your detachment from the feeling of the general public back home. You preferred the “high way or my way” approach. Let’s not work to satisfy the fringes (both ends – opposition groups and the pro-ruling party). Again, our country has seen enough of those both devils (sorry for a better word). As for me the middle is a way to go…..
I 100% agree with you that ANO and other news outlets must be allowed in Ethiopia. The current regime is as rigid as some of our opposition groups.
So fellow readers, what do you think?
Isubalew
I don’t think Abiye is trying to be an elitist here. I also think that your characterization of his approach as “my way or the high way” is a little over the top. I am of the opinion that if we are to make a real difference in our country, we need to listen to each other. Taking an extreme position in both sides will take us nowhere. The mentality of “you are either with us or against us” will not help either.
Have a blessed day
Fair enough.
I completely disagree with his current article, mainly because it is a mere observation and lacks both syntheses and analyses of participants’ comments. But I still appreciate his perspective.
Simply, he fail short clarifying who-is-who or who-is-doing-what in this “virtual ignorance” drama. This commentary by Abiye isn’t a case study type nor supported by any evidence that he claimed he has seen ” some people” hijacking his agenda to thier benefit.
I call this nothing but an allegation! It seems that Abiye, whom I am very fond of, is desperate lately.
As they say,”the proof is in the pudding”. All of the above Woyane commenter s proved your points right before the ink is dry. Let’s not forget Woyane has assigned paid agents sitting by the computer 24/7 just to do its dirty job. Their mission is to refute anything written against Woyane using the ten methods of manufacturing ignorance. Good job Abiye, for exposing the modern day bandas.
It is an interesting case study indeed!
This time EPRDF already collapses the opposition party, the free press and declared to be an absolute autocrat and at the contrary they want to be considered as democrat, developmental blabla.
So this guys develop anorexia to here the weakness of their beloved bosses, for any person or group which seems to oppose them they are ready to invest the resources of the country and want to demolish this group in an organized manner.
I can see Abiye understand this reality.
@ Isubalew, you seem a honest person, but try to know the contemporary tactics of the tyranny group
Meyisaw,
The million dollar question is how should the blogosphere (ppl like Abiye, et al) react to the “contemporary tactics of the tyranny group”.
I am skeptical of this new approach by Abiye, to generally categorize people with different resolutions as “EPRDFites”.
I think, Meyisaw, the public should call both politicians and oppositions out when we see UNETHIOPIAN activities from both ends.
Abiye,
Your way of approaching issues never ceases to amaze me. And at times I felt that you guys have been sounding a little too angry, not because you do not have sufficient reasons to feel that way, but because I think it is useful to maintain a low key tone-if you are to appeal to wider audience. I just say that never stop to examine claim Y, although it usually comes from X. Never let the categorization (although helpful in some aspects) entrap you into prejudice. Keep up the good work
Excellent Abiy. I always worried that you may be intimidated by the wave of critics and also beguiled by the seemingly ‘flattery’ of some participants. Now I am no longer worried, you just go on sharing your ideas and we will continue to engage in the discussion by putting our reflections. By the end of the day everyone is free to take his lesson if he is willing to.
NICE 2 KNOW….. i like how Abey tries 2 give light……. seriously it is a great intellectual outlook…..
Hi Abye,
You know there is one proverb in Amharic”yalebetin Yigeneibet”. Meaning among ten people if there is one ignorant, let say, Woyane, if you talk about ignorance the woyane guy will react you soon. And the rest will keep quite, because they know they are not ignorant.
As you wrote, those ignorant EPRDF tails are writing comment not against the issue but against with you. This is the tradition that they are accustomed with lies and manipulation like their father Melse Zenawi. It is obvious for elites how you are intelligent. One indicator for this may be the tears and grievance you will get from the Woyane supporters. Keep it up. Abye. Tell them who they are and how they try to manipulate things and truth ignorantly.
From Wikipedia:
Well said. And again, I would like to reflect on your post in the tradition of the ancient Fathers!
Rather than talk about ‘them’ – EPRDF supporters/sympathizers, etc. – I want to ask the question – what does this say about ‘us’ – those of us who want freedom and democracy in Ethiopia? (And yes, the ‘them’ and ‘us’ is not a clear cut distinction.)
What has been the role of this agnotology (I’ve learnt a new word!) on us who were so willing to expend whatever resources we had on the movement four years ago, yet today sit in various shades of cynicism and apathy?
Why has this agnotology been effective?
There are several answers, including the obvious opposition problems. But let me offer a one perhaps non-obvious one.
And it is related to Abiy’s Mao article (and his co-opting articles). How many of us have really understood from the beginning that we are struggling for basic morality, freedom, justice, and democracy, not ‘a strong nation’, or ‘development’, or even concrete things such as ‘electricity and education’?
If we understood our fundamentals, then EPRDF propaganda in any form would be useless. I don’t care if there are roads and dams being built, or if EPRDF leaders are ‘intelligent’, or if EPRDF supporters are polite, etc., if I know an EPRDF official can put me in jail arbitrarily, or if my land can be taken away without reason, or if I can’t have any say in how I am being governed. This what wanting ‘democracy’ is all about.
But alas, many, including opposition leadership don’t understand this. Because we don’t live democratically, we don’t run our parties/organizations democratically. So we are fooled by bread at the barrel of a gentle gun!
As for the EPRDF supporters, if there is such a monolithic group, imagine the moral and ethical quandary they find themselves in. They are supporting economic growth and development, no doubt. But they are also supporting arbitrary arrest, murder, oppression, etc. It must be terrible taxing on one’s conscience. Lord have mercy on us all.
Hello Abiye
My earlier post was copied from a wiki I found about the period in American history dominated by mccarthyism
I thought you might find it interesting reading
Thanks. I could have copied von Neumann stability analysis from wikipedia as a reply. Bringing Wiki to a wiki fight. My point? You are amplifying. I detected a pattern of commenting among some(Mind you, I said some) EPRDF supporters and you thought I am running a loyalty test? The easiest application of any loyalty test would, in my universe, be to shut out commenters who oppose me. See!
Abiye,
I am glad that you are now making clear distinction between some EPRDF supporters and the rest.
Hi Abiy,
Excellent observation again.
I ask those woyane cadres commenting here to find and enjoy their suiting category from the list. It is also good for every of them to know why he/she is paid for.
To their silliness, some of them asked the method Abiy used to identify the Woyane cadres from the rest. We know you fools! Every Ethiopian knows you. Did I say the gangrene is on your forehead? It is as simple as that.
Abiy, just keep going!
That was very low, Abiy!!!
I can only say this is a nice discussion on some of the features of EPRDFites apologetics. The features are so recurrent that a passing visitor of the site can easily note them. Therefore I am wondering if all practitioners of these behaviors are EPRDFites. In deed much of them are no doubt for their being EPRDFites apologetics. But there are also other groups who profess similar behaviors. This group claim to be modest in their presentation. Therefore they do not want to be straight forward in their idea. So in order to express an idea which may fall in the category of critics, they usually roam around the bush and become tired for looking diplomatic words. In principle such approach is useful to creat an understanding environment for the discourse if the contending groups really mean it what they are saying. But under the current situation the limitation of this sort of approach is undermining the level of the significance of the issue at hand. Here in Ethiopia it is not un common to find person who is straight forward to be branded as an extremist. It is unfortunate that if some one became arch supporter of the regime, no body dare to call him extremist. But if there is any one who appeared to be critical of the government, then fingers are pointing at him with such labeling. Follow the wording of the papers at home. You will sense how much writers squeez their mind to find words that may not offend the regime or to save themselves from being regarded as extremist. Apparently the presentation might be in no way presupposes their being label with this name.
There is no better place than the academic institutions to prove this reality. Perhaps strong critics of the regime may find difficult to get friends willing to go with him for lunch or tea.On top of this academicians camouflage their fear for neutralism. There are little or no individuals who dare to speak their mind. To come to this site how many of the commentators fall in this “tone down” group, I afraid that they are not much. Particularly if there are individuals who write their comments in their official name, we must understand their dilemma. Yet they should not post at all if the duress condition forces them to compromise the very reason they are posting their comment. If there is innocent practices that might be taken to one or the other methodology described by Abiye, then they must told to feel sense of urgency and straightforwardness. Let the spade be said spade. As categorized by Abiye, those who are doing their activities deliberately with objective, it is indispensable to indicate that their methodology is poor and must be tackled. It is also good to consider the effect of those those who share no idea to their credit and resort to blind rediculing. The danger of manufacturing ignorance is similarly lurked by this group too although they are doing it unwittingly.
Bravo Abiye!
I think this is a well crafted summary of the ignorance levels of the whole readers of your blog who have time and willingness to give a comment on what is wriiten for them .
I personally used to give some comments when the blog started and later I stopped it because of the fact that the blog was clearly hijacked by the extreme EPRDF ppl and I always believe that I am better than them in many aspects (most importantly the moral value that I have), hence I did not want to be in the same place as they use to be.
In any case , you are doing a good job but you have to know one thing ,that is, you are fighting with ppl who have no moral value at all.
Oh no let me go back to my work !!
Abiye Teklemariam is the most talented,wisdom-filled,deeply passionate and highly devouted political analyst and neutral observer of our Time.He obviously has immense potential to check and challenge scholars of that generation like Prof. Messay Kebede,Desalegn Rahmeto, Lencho Latta,Eshetu Chole,Prof.Bahru Zewde,Teshale Tibebu,Tesfatsion Medhane,Bereketeab Habtesillassie,Jordan GebreMedhin,Prof.Tekola Hagos and the likes.
Of course I am amplifying. Now that we have covered Woyane smell test #8, I intend to meet the other 9 ferreting methods you outlined.
Smell test # 1: Abiye, I think your blog is great and I visit often and I am very encouraged by the discussions here. Here comes Hyde: I find this post and the one to Mao with love irrational and defensive.
Smell test #2: this stuff is truly beneath you. To me, it amplifies your sometimes defensive position more than it helps me see who is on which side of the fence. Also, I don’t care much for instructions on how to perceive and process the information I gather from reading this or any other material, unless of course, it is about how to fly a plane or cook a turkey just right..
Smell test #3: in my opinion, you are more than losing sight of the middle ground when you engage in defensive behavior. You lose a larger readership that is more interested in hearing arguments and deciding why they support or oppose this or that position. You might argue why bother with folks who are not decidedly behind the right demarcation line. the argument, I think, unnecessarily concedes direly needed resources to the other side.
Smell test #4: let’s face it, the fact that you write about ferreting tips and I am here responding to it is ample example of how removed we are from the daily challenges of our country. Now, should this be held against us? I think not, but you telling me to watch out for such argument is more disturbing than someone using such a method to convince me. You are more important.
Smell test #5: I assume you are no scholar on agnotology, but even if you were, your analysis does lack depth. I mean, how many of the ten rules must a post meet to decidedly smell bad?
Smell test #6: Here is my straw man: the issue here is not about whether it is right or wrong to post rather sweeping sniff tests, the issue is really about you, Abiye. It is about our expectation of you and the youth you could possibly galvanize through this blog
Smell test #7: polite question, what exactly was the purpose of the post to start with? Are you trying to educate us on how to spot a stink? Or is there something else of substance that I am missing? Maybe the uncomfortable prevalence of a certain persuasion that could make anyone nervous? If so, publishing smell tests only helps the very elements you may be targeting
Smell test #8: we covered this one already, but as I said earlier, you are important to some of us, so get used to being held to higher standards and to your dallying with nonsense being amplified with floodlights
Smell test #9: I do not support eprdf (this would be funny, if it were not so sad)
Smell test #10: guilty as sin
Now that I have met your 10 commandments, I expect you will apply your method and complete the task of pointing me out as the EPRDFite on you blog
You see, the problem is that you think saying x exhibits behavior y is the same as all people exhibiting behavior y are x(as I responded earlier). It is not. Even less, I didn’t say x but some members of x. But hey, if you meet the ten methods, I can at least say you have committed four serious logical fallacies. The rest, as they say, is just noise.
@Bistima
You know what? I don’t understand why actually we need to limit the methods to ten. Every time one of what Abiye wants to call EPRDFites comment they come up with yet another method just like you did now. We may call this the counter attack method. They use the same arguments of the writer to score points. And this way they, of course, achieve their objectives because what they set out to do is to obstruct productive discussion that threatens the system. Let’s be mindful of their diversion tactics and concentrate on the topic at hand and in that sense Abiye’s piece is excellent. When the likes of Fact and Bistima attack they are delivering on their mission. Let’s deliver on AON’s mission of creating an Ethiopian democratic forum where ideas are presented, discussed, and analyzed for the good of the country and its people and not for the party and government in power.
Abiye,
I guess I went too emotional and used improper words beyond the line. A difference in belief is one thing we should respect, and calling names (like Facebook politician) is another low class insult I shouldn’t have put on you. Swallowing my pride, therefore, I am saying “I’m sorry’’ for throwing improper words which you don’t deserve at all.
Fact
I take my hats off to you!!!