Indeed you are correct that I should not have made that post. It drags down the discussion and I would not be interested in reading a site filled with posts like that. I will keep it in check the next time I feel that snappy.
Dang, look at the context. I was simply repeating his self-assessment back at him, and trying to flip it with a positive message that one's circumstances of birth do not define one's potential - unless you let it (mental prison). I feel like you've taken the exact opposite reading from what was intended.
That said, when people don't understand what you're trying to say, the fault lies with you. I'll try to rethink how i can phrase this kind of thing. I was trying to challenge in a positive way but it obviously didn't come across like that.
Putting a provocative spin ("you're trapped in a mental prison and proud of it") on someone's personal description and throwing it back at them is not likely to end well. When you add patronizing putdowns ("calm your jets") and outright slurs ("my poor white trash friend"—yes I know the GP used the slur, but it's very different when you use it), you're way into the territory of personal attack. That's no way to send a positive message.
