'Of course...'

In the following example(s)

You're right, of course, about the Socratic method/the price of fuel/the fact that wanking does not in fact cause blindness in teenage boys.

does the additional 'of course' make one's concurrence more or less patronising?

Question

Can you have a common-or-garden garden?

chagrin (e.g.)

If a word has long-since been adopted into English - to the point that it is not even written in italics any more - (why) must we still conform to the original pronunciation?

Barth time

John Barth... Is that like how I would pronounce 'bath' [cf. the correct way to pronounce 'bath'] or how clever-clever types would say (Roland) 'Barthes'?

IS/SI

If one can be an idiot savant, why not also a savant idiot? I'm sure I know more of the latter.

Philosophy

Is it too much to ask if it's too much to ask?

?

Similes are metaphorical; but are metaphors like similes?

'Our thoughts go out to you'

Aye; but which ones?

Needs? Must...

Men have 'needs'. Indubitably. But why the evasiveness? Why can't we just have desires?