>I tend to play the devils advocate alot here on the UT (I know a few here see through it, but let's face it, one side is lacking a balance of intellectually driven discourse so I only try to make it a fair fight--I have little patience for discourse where positions on the issues are only supported via character assassination, name calling, and slurs). One day I'll have to settle down and only post what I really think. I had some really good professors in college and I just can't help myself sometimes... (My daughter will sometimes ask me to be quiet or else people will think I really believe what I say when I get started. I keep reminding her that before she settles on an opinion, I want to make sure she has looked at the extremes on both sides. It sometimes drives her nuts.)

(disclaimer: zero evidence except anecdotal, and can't remember even that, so just an impression)

Seems to me that in many cases this is just an excuse to go the middle way. Throw two extremes into the mix, carefully positioned symmetrically around the desired goal, possibly not too far from each other, fire up a dispute about some minuscule formal question, and thus completely avoid the discussion about the substantial aspects of the matter.

OK, here's an example I just cooked up: do personal trucks really need wheels so big and 4-wheel drives, when 99% of the time they don't even see the dirt. They even organize events where you can drive through mud, so you can only hope for a dry week so your truck remains dirty for the whole neighborhood to see.

Extreme A: the trucks were perfectly fine when they had smaller wheels and 2 wheel drive. For rough terrain, rent a jeep or some specialized vehicle. You may need it once or twice in your lifetime - owning a truck costs you all year.

Extreme B: what's the purpose of a truck if it can't take your stuff from point A to point B? So what if you don't need the extra size and drive 99% of the time? When you need it, you need it really bad, period.

Except these aren't extremes at all. What's intentionally left out of the picture is the ridiculousness of owning a truck in the city and not using it for work. I think I carried more stuff in the little trailer that I pulled with the old Škoda with 1.2l engine than most of these trucks ever get to carry.