# A serious question for Sam Stone on Factual Errors **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 11, 2021, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881 "2021-12-11T12:32:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/601 "2023-02-22T01:13:49Z")
> [@Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 1)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-1/963442/3312): > > Imagine typing a multi-paragraph impassioned defense of someone’s behavior based on their portrayal in an Onion article. I’m just going to leave this observation about Sam here, as nothing more needs to be said. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/602 "2023-02-22T01:39:11Z")
Smapti nailed it with that response. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/603 "2023-02-22T02:29:30Z")
I love that it’s not enough for you to attack me in one thread but you have to run here to do it again. My grandfather taught me a few things to look out for when evaluating the character of someone; 1. If they see someonr drop money, will they keep it or tell the person their money dropped? 2. Do they return the shopping cart to the cage in the parking lot? 3. Are they mean to people they consider ‘below them’ in stature, like clerks and waitresses and work underlings? If he were still alive, he would have added, 1. Do they act like complete jerks when they are anonymous or are certain that the target of their nastiness can’t retaliate in any way? We all know how the regular denizens of the pit fare on #4. I’m sure you all think you are fighting the good fight or something, but in fact you are just assholes looking to punch someone you don’t like without consequences. Like all bullying, it works better in a group where you can pat yourselves on the back for a ‘gotcha’ while not worrying at all about what you might be doing to the subject of your constant attacks. Hiding behind a keyboard gives you all kinds of courage. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/604 "2023-02-22T02:45:11Z")
_rummaging through junk drawer in my desk_ Darn it, that tiny violin is in here _somewhere_… ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/605 "2023-02-22T02:48:09Z")
[![](https://i.imgur.com/BV2D21O.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/BV2D21O.png) ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/606 "2023-02-22T02:48:39Z")
God you’re weird. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/607 "2023-02-22T02:55:09Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Do they act like complete jerks when they are anonymous or are certain that the target of their nastiness can’t retaliate in any way? You can’t “retaliate” only because you are wading in a pond of bullshit that came out of your own mouth. You think that gives you any kind of standing to complain. If you fell in by accident, you might claim we are being mean to you, but you just keep piling up the crap around yourself every time you open your mouth. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/608 "2023-02-22T03:01:18Z")
Dude, you made a super obvious mistake, and instead of owning it, you double and now TRIPLE down. And you wonder why nobody respects you? Yeah yeah, I know you don’t care. All you needed to say was “I didn’t read the article.” Of course, at this point, yes people would have mocked you for it because you have a history of not reading things and getting them wrong. You need to own that and accept that for a period of time even if you own it people are going to make fun of you. But if you start changing the way you act, then you might start getting some respect. The only way that’s going to change is if you start being more careful, and start owning your mistakes. Your reputation is firmly in your hands. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/609 "2023-02-22T10:05:40Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I love that it’s not enough for you to attack me in one thread but you have to run here to do it again. It was more a casual stroll. And it wasn’t an “attack”; it was a pertinent observation of a thing you had just done. If you feel that doing so reflects negatively on you, perhaps you should consider why that is. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/610 "2023-02-22T12:30:10Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > the regular denizens of the pit Regular denizens? Like that guy, what’s his name, sounds like Ham\_Bone? Oh wait, I remember, Sam\_Stone he’s in the pit all the time! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/611 "2023-02-22T12:46:25Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Hiding behind a keyboard gives you all kinds of courage. Imagine, Sam, if instead of courageously scolding us from behind the safety of your keyboard, you’d responded to that post with something like, > [@not Sam](#): > > Shit, I must need more coffee. That was totally an Onion article. I got thoughts about Musk, but I should’ve paid more attention to what I was reading. My bad. Imagine if that’s how you responded _every time you got called out for misunderstanding a cite_. I mean, you could practically make it a macro. But two things would likely happen: 1. People would be far more forgiving and less meany-pants to you all the time. 2. _You might actually start reading cites more carefully_. As it is, your refusal to read cites carefully, coupled with your petulant self-pitying defensiveness when called on it, has turned you into a running joke. That’s a thing you have control over. You could choose to behave differently and get different results. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/612 "2023-02-22T12:55:57Z")
The problem with that is, it didn’t matter that that was an Onion page. Sam took the opportunity to take off the mask and tell us what he really does think. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/613 "2023-02-22T13:35:27Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > My grandfather taught me a few things to look out for when evaluating the character of someone; Did he mention anything about lying? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/614 "2023-02-22T13:36:02Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > That’s a thing you have control over. You could choose to behave differently and get different results. Though Canadian, ‘the party of personal responsibility’ indeed. 🙄 ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/615 "2023-02-22T13:36:08Z")
You know, to defend the (satirical) firings in the Onion piece, really was stupid. It’s easy enough to see what happened. You saw a link to firings and overlooked that it was from the Onion, or thought that the Onion was a straight news site. Then, without reading the link, you jumped in and defended Elon Musk. As I said stupid. If that will make my post easier to swallow, I can, on request, PM you my full name, address and my employer’s e-mail. I’d prefer not to be doxxed, but I’ll run that risk. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/616 "2023-02-22T15:03:40Z")
I mistakenly cited a satire site a couple of days ago. It wasn’t something as well-known as The Onion but still, I should have paid more attention. When someone pointed it out to me, I chastised myself because of course that was stupid, and I used a different cite with real info. I can’t imagine doubling down on something like that. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/617 "2023-02-22T17:23:39Z")
For starters, Sam, I apologize for the photo. It was rude, condescending, and beneath me and the standards of this Board (as I see them). @Banquet_Bear was right to call me out on it, and I deleted it from my Flickr account soon after I saw BB’s comment. To this: > [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > My grandfather taught me a few things to look out for when evaluating the character of someone; > > 1. If they see someonr drop money, will they keep it or tell the person their money dropped? > 2. Do they return the shopping cart to the cage in the parking lot? > 3. Are they mean to people they consider ‘below them’ in stature, like clerks and waitresses and work underlings? > > If he were still alive, he would have added, > > 1. Do they act like complete jerks when they are anonymous or are certain that the target of their nastiness can’t retaliate in any way? > > We all know how the regular denizens of the pit fare on #4. I’m sure you all think you are fighting the good fight or something, but in fact you are just assholes looking to punch someone you don’t like without consequences. Like all bullying, it works better in a group where you can pat yourselves on the back for a ‘gotcha’ while not worrying at all about what you might be doing to the subject of your constant attacks. Hiding behind a keyboard gives you all kinds of courage. Your grandfather taught you how to judge other people. He had some rules by which he could feel superior based upon scant evidence, and that’s that. Hell, no complaint on the man, we all do it, but it seems he missed a piece in his rush to judge others. My grandparents, with their odd blend of Scottish-Calvinism (grandmother) and Italian-Catholic (grandfather), taught me how to judge _myself_ by the standards by which I judge _others_. If I’m going to accuse, I’d better not be guilty. Eye/Mote/Beam. To your point #4, I am quite [capable](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672) of [being a jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/103) while [in person](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-voters-are-you-afraid-of-the-other-side-and-to-what-extent/953659/127) or [otherwise](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-voters-are-you-afraid-of-the-other-side-and-to-what-extent/953659/123). No need to call me a coward, Sam, not while I’m out there in the real world, fighting the good fight against people like you, in the same manner, in the same way, in which I do here at the SDMB. But more: Face to face. With people knowing my name. Because I _own_ my life, both on the internet and in the real world - it’s all the same to me. And I will hold you to the same standards I hold myself. You lie, and I despise lying. You accuse me of being anonymous when I am the least anonymous person on these Boards. So take your damned judgment, _you who anonymously attacks while using the nom-de-plume “Sam Stone”_, and apply it to yourself like a goddamned man should. Like _my_ grandfather taught me. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/618 "2023-02-22T17:37:21Z")
LOL, I’m posting shit like [this](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderation-of-citations-and-breaking-links/937796/4) to prove my bona fides and Sam comes here and accuses me of being an anonymous keyboard warrior. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/619 "2023-02-22T17:41:11Z")
An Econ major? I knew I liked you for a reason. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881/620 "2023-02-22T17:42:03Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Do they act like complete jerks when they are anonymous or are certain that the target of their nastiness can’t retaliate in any way? This is childish. You can “retaliate” in exactly the same way you were “attacked:” with your words. Are you implying there’s some _other_ way you’d like to retaliate, if give the opportunity? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-serious-question-for-sam-stone-on-factual-errors/955881.md?page=32)