Huh. Assertiveness isn't the same as dickishness though, right? (I didn't read the whole debate, just this post.)

Yeah, I was a little confused about that, too.

yea I concur. there's a definite line between being rude and being decisive and knowing how to ask for what you want/need, plus it seems the author is conflating being polite with being some species of spineless doormat who never voices an opinion on anything. I think this maybe another example of the urge for reductionism attempting to polarise what is a very complex issue, potentially just for the shock/eyeball value?

My grandma was the most polite and gracious individual I've ever known but good heavens you definitely knew when she had an opinion about something. And because she was so gracious, people actually listened!

Yeah, I totally don't get this. What did he do that was dickish?

I'm surprised that Myers could be so patient and polite with Mr. Deity without drifting into more than a whiff of dickishness. Of course, making the effort was probably a great down payment on a good outcome for his cardiac event.

I read this three times trying to figure out what he did that qualified for the d term, and also why is was devilish to think that maybe he was having a cardiac event.

People this nice and retiring tend to make me wonder about their risk for cancer, rather than the likelihood they'll die of a heart attack, but maybe the guilt for things like having a reasonable medical concern checked out is stressing this fella's heart.

I'm not sure where he was going with it exactly. I guess there's some other thing that he feels that he is dead right about the long terms effects of (public school science education perhaps). Rather than just go along to get along, he is being the dickish voice that doesn't care about sounding insulting and scolding because that's what it's going to take to bring about the greater good.

P.Z. prides himself on not letting manners get in the way of facts. This post is interesting, because I think it's more about the dialogue going on inside his own head than it is about any external reality. He felt "dickish" for listening to his body the same way I guess some people feel "sinful" or "transgressive" (depending on the mindset) when they have some kinds of sex.

I'm glad he's okay... I haven't read his blog in ages, but he's one of those people I like to know are out there doing their thing.