I have never blocked a comment on this site that wasn’t straight-up spam. This should not be construed as a promise that I never will; it’s my site, and I reserve the right to block anything for any reason. So far, I just haven’t seen the need.

Not that I haven’t had some pushback in the comments, but I generally prefer to let the criticism stand. Sometimes I answer it. Sometimes the arguments are so inane that I think they have the opposite of their intended effect. And sometimes they’re so gloriously bad that I want to make sure my readers see them. This one falls into the third category.

I have occasionally criticized Andrew Weil because he (1) likes to sprinkle promotion of alternative medicine nonsense in with his otherwise generally sound health advice and (2) promotes both his nonsense and his sound advice at my alma mater. A couple of years ago, I criticized him for appearing at a “Signature Mind-Body Wellness Workshop” with the very paragon of pseudo-profound bullshit, Deepak Chopra, an event that explicitly promoted the pre-scientific framework of Ayurvedic medicine.

Reader Andri recently commented on this post, and I think it’s fair to conclude that Andri is not a fan. Here’s the full comment:

U are an unsourituak, unkind, I evolved human being or being! You obviously are arrogant and black and white! Sad! The opposite of the two highly educated kind men you are speaking of. Ayurveda is the oldest ancient medicine….. which you probably understand better are drugs, pesticides and sugar! Probably guns too! Sorry for your dark thinking ! Just keep it to yourself! The people you are speaking of are talking ina total educated manner and sensible. Though it does not make $$$ for American pharmaceutical conpanies. It’s all about money greed and lack of caring live and lack of education.

Just your language explains who you are…. a stuck mensch!!

Being “the opposite of the two highly educated kind men” I was speaking of, I had to look up “mensch.” From Wikipedia:

Mensch ( Hebrew/Yiddish: מענטש‎ mentsh, cognate with the German word Mensch meaning a “human being”) means “a person of integrity and honor”…

According to Leo Rosten, the Yiddish maven and author of The Joys of Yiddish, a “mensch” is “someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble character. The key to being ‘a real mensch’ is nothing less than character, rectitude, dignity, a sense of what is right, responsible, decorous.” The term is used as a high compliment, implying the rarity and value of that individual’s qualities.

Thank you, Andri!