[rootusrootus]

In my experience, many of the people who say things like this don't just have misconceptions, they have an axe to grind. In that case, preventing the spread of their misinformation may have more value than trying to 'educate' them.

[natch]

It's not so much to educate those who have an ax to grind, and I tend to agree on where (many of) these people are coming from.

It's to allow everyone else to see under the open light how weak the ax is, and what a dull blade it has, and what poor metal it was forged out of, and how it was never a good ax to begin with.

Instead of just saying (not that you directly said this, but downvotes kind of say it): "let's not talk about that."

[rootusrootus]

I think I agree with you, but I may have less faith in the ability of random people to get past the first argument and make it to the counterpoints. I'm probably being uncharitable; especially somewhere like HN.