Bill Bartmann, Christian Science Columnist, Ponders Unironically Why Collection Agencies Are the Worst

Here’s a term you’ve probably been using wrong for a lot of your life:

Begging the question.

No doubt you’ve used this as a synonym for “asks the question” or “strongly asks the question.” There’s no shame in that; to look at the phrase, it even seems to suggest that a question is begging to be asked.

However, what begging the question really means is: to create a circular argument. It can also mean assuming the premise of your question in the question itself. For instance:

Debt collectors: Why are they so abusive?

The assumption that debt collectors are abusive is baked into the question itself. As far as the Christian Science Monitor is concerned: debt collectors are abusive; the question to be answered now is “Why?”

Uy.

Oh, and did I mention the fact that perenniel insideARM.com favorite Bill Bartmann is the author of this CSM piece? And that he congratulates himself at least once per paragraph? And he still thinks all debt collectors who aren’t Bill Bartmann are The Worst?

Because all of that happens in this piece.