Gary F.,
I didn't write "a blood sport" but "Semiotics is a fighting sport" (another
quote with a sense of humor ..) and what followed showed that my metaphor
was fully justified. In rugby, when an opponent wants to push you out of
the game by claiming that you are playing badly, and moreover, is
Jon, yes, that’s pretty much the sociological phenomenon I refer to as
“tribalism.” I might add that in the present case, those who indulge in it
typically interpret criticism of their expressed opinions as criticism of
themselves, and often claim they are defending themselves, their personal
