Duncan Black explains the relation of emotional to intellectual complexity to those who think it only applies to reactionary tribalists in Alabama and Tehran.

We're All Hacks
It's important to remember that none of us are above the fray, that we all have hackish tendencies to suppress information which doesn't fit our worldview and privilege information that does. We're more likely to excuse behavior from people we like and exaggerate the ills of people we don't like. I try to fight hackish tendencies especially during this intra-Dem battle, but I don't claim to have superhuman Nonhack powers.

Be grateful for small favors. If he were more intellectually "serious" in the model of political thinkers in this country that paragraph would never have seen the light of day. To be honest, Atrios consistently referred to himself as a hack for the first few years. I always liked him for that.