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- Dec 20, 2004
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(1) let's not ignore the first half of the quote, where Voltaire was insinuating he thought his biographer was wrong/an idiot. He didn't want people to believe his biographer (Evelyn Hall), but preferred to not quash that persons right to make those grossly inaccurate statements. he's essentially saying in that quote that he thinks we should allow even *****s to say their piece. (before casting aspersions, which he subsequently certainly did). So are you conceding your posts are worthy of derision? Because that's effectively what that quote means. (even though some have misrepresented the quote to equate to free speech concepts). Let the rabbit out of the hole before you bludgeon it, not the other way round is all he's saying.
(2) he's known as one of the great satirists, so not everything he wrote ought to be taken literally or quoted for accuracy. He also has a character who says "this is the best of all possible worlds" as his skin is being flayed off.
(3) trying to quote others because you lack the ability to win an argument on your own never scores any points. We have had quite a few trolls and sock puppets recently who try to fall back on quotes, and all this does is make people sure you are one. Possibly the same one.
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