Ethan recently said, and Markie made the same opinion (surprise!), that I'm pretentious for suggesting I'm a thorn in his side

Not pretentious, just arrogant. At best, you are a mosquito where you seem to believe you are a scorpion. Which is to say, you tend to grossly exaggerate your own degree of . . . thorniness. :)

Until another day passes and Ethan breaks out all the stops to single me out personally in such a zealous manner, thus proving I simply represent to him a personified Scorpion whose metaphorical stinger consists of a set of ideologies that stand for the possibility and desirability of fundamental change; opposition to mainstream liberal cowardice and capitulation after a few decades of showing what a failure that predictably use; and the entire pro-choice and youth lib-supporting part of the stinger! That's an exalted status he seems to elevate me to, and if I can personify to him what Uncle Sam does to the typical American, then hey, cool! :-)