Geodog

I think there are a couple of reasons people care so much - that is, seem to get worked up about it rather than just interested and bemused. (For my part, I just love diving in to the idea pond, pretty much. Emerging theories behind how this stuff might work interests the heck outta me.)

Quoting myself (how wanky is that, huh) -

"Dangerous and emotionally charged territory, this, perhaps, in the sense that for many people their personal web sites are an avatar of themselves, and the person they perceive themselves to be and the ways they want the world at large to perceive them are deeply wrapped up in what they say and how they say it."

and

"If I have a problem with what Clay was saying (well, I have a few, but) it would be his attachment, by implication or explicitly, of qualitative criteria to what he's describing, and thus create a hierarchy, where none exists in reality. That, I'm guessing, is in part why some people seem to have their backs up over this."

If I understand correctly, there's a component in what's being said (or what's being read but not being said by Clay at least, more accurately) that seems to imply that you're somehow *better* the further over you are on that left hand side of the hockey stick. People don't like that idea much, clearly. Understandably, too.

Also, any mention of an 'A-list' invariably gets folks all riled up! Heh.