Don't confuse the critics with the haters
I (over) simplified and tried to keep the technical terms out of it, but they were arguing the point, technically/academically, as far as I could see.
Nah, I think you're misunderstanding what's being said. The pigeon argument is about the nature/manner of machine learning in this current incarnation, an academic discussion if you like. There's absolutely nothing derogatory about it (as much as I read).
These are scientific discussions not "casual opinions" and even if they were, their expert knowledge means their opinions are hardly casual.
Maybe you're getting sucked in by the hype
The haters are getting upset about the hype or complete misunderstandings, not the reality, so most of their concerns are moot.