[wpietri]

The notion that you cannot criticize somebody for the probable consequences of their actions is idiocy. Especially given the track record of DHH-driven flame wars in the past.

He also did say something about those specific arguments: that they were blanket. Which I took to mean: shallow and over-broad.

[rhizome]

To whatever degree flamewars result here, they are historically not flamewars per se, but people arguing over tone. And I'm no statistician, but I would question the GP's probability calculations.

The way to avoid flame wars is not to feed them in anticipation, but to offer a critical beatdown of the arguments at hand, e.g. the higher levels of the PG pyramid.