Est Quod Est has a very kind and thoughtful post on Jonah Goldberg Derangement Syndrome. Yes, it’s a phenomenon I’ve noticed myself before. Though I’ve often been reluctant to write about my views on it because there’s no way to avoid sounding arrogant and self-serving. Moreover there’s not much percentage in wrestling with pigs over whether I’m a fat-gay-racist-spoiled-moron. But, yes, I tend to think that incredible rage and stupidity I elicit from so many leftwingers says a great deal about them and almost nothing about me, save perhaps what a good job I’m doing in challenging their core assumptions. I’ve become a symbol for some folks out there and they are so deeply invested in the meaning of that symbol that they will go to extraordinary lengths to insist that I represent all sorts of bad and terrible things. The thing is I’m pretty comfortable in my own skin [That’s because there’s so much of it! — The Couch] and I know where my head and my heart are and I have some incredibly generous and supportive friends, family and fans, so most of this nonsense just rolls off. That doesn’t mean the email and the personal attacks don’t ever bum me out (and my disappointment in some leftwingers who cave-in to groupthink and the mob in their comments sections is often very real), but ultimately it’s a bit like getting a booster shot. The prick hurts for a second and then your immunity is improved over all.