# Colibri's insult in General Questions **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 11, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139 "2016-06-11T19:36:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/21 "2016-06-14T18:32:23Z")
> [@simster](#): > > And you’re completely wrong. > > Colibri was not insulting UberArchetype, and if saying another poster has no idea what they are talking about is an ‘insult’ - we might as well shut down the board now. [You don’t know what you’re talking about = direct insult?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=761279) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/22 "2016-06-14T18:41:48Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > [You don’t know what you’re talking about = direct insult?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=761279) That’s not what I said. **Stringbean** made that allegation, but he was wrong about everything he stated. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/23 "2016-06-14T18:57:54Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > That’s not what I said. And that’s the Ethiopian Shim Sham. Lol. Anyway, I was directly responding to what simster said not indirectly discussing your insulting GQ comment. ---
**Author:** ![heartsplayer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d9b06d/32.png) [@heartsplayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heartsplayer)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/24 "2016-06-14T19:35:17Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Warn this guy for junior mod’ing!! 🙂 But telling a mod to warn another user is also junior modding! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/25 "2016-06-14T21:12:19Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I did not insult the poster. Of course you did. Whatever about anything else posted in that thread, what you typed in that post was an insult. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/26 "2016-06-14T22:40:42Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Of course you did. Whatever about anything else posted in that thread, what you typed in that post was an insult. I think there’s a bright line between calling somebody “stupid” and calling somebody (directly or indirectly) “ignorant”. The former is straightforward _ad hominem_ insult. The latter is not, provided that it’s backed up with an honest attempt to show that the person’s assertions or arguments are based on genuine lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of concepts, rather than just a difference of opinion on a purely subjective matter. Of course, showing that somebody is ignorant can also make them _look_ stupid. But that’s true any time somebody is pwned in an argument. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/27 "2016-06-15T01:29:17Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I think there’s a bright line between calling somebody “stupid” and calling somebody (directly or indirectly) “ignorant”. That is still attacking the poster though. I thought the accepted convention was saying that the “post” was ignorant. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/28 "2016-06-15T01:52:59Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You would save time and aggravation by not making frivolous complaints. and you would have saved everyone in this thread time by not insulting a poster in GQ. Maybe you should give yourself a Warning to remind yourself to not do it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/29 "2016-06-15T02:03:33Z")
I will take **Colibri** at his word that he did not intend to attack the poster, but it’s clear from the exchange that the poster in question did see it as an attack. And the post itself seems completely pointless from a moderating perspective–the problematic behavior it indirectly addresses had already been addressed in a superior manner. It seems to me that it would have been better if **Colibri** apologized for the misunderstanding. And that, perhaps, such snarky posts that serve no function be made as a poster instead of as a moderator. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/30 "2016-06-15T02:12:27Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > I think there’s a bright line between calling somebody “stupid” and calling somebody (directly or indirectly) “ignorant”. The former is straightforward _ad hominem_ insult. The latter is not, provided that it’s backed up with an honest attempt to show that the person’s assertions or arguments are based on genuine lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of concepts, rather than just a difference of opinion on a purely subjective matter. > > Of course, showing that somebody is ignorant can also make them _look_ stupid. But that’s true any time somebody is pwned in an argument. You know, I did just link to a thread discussing how I got warned for saying someone didn’t know what they were talking about, ie they were ignorant. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/31 "2016-06-15T03:48:47Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > That is still attacking the poster though. I thought the accepted convention was saying that the “post” was ignorant. I didn’t say anyone or anything was ignorant. > [@bucketybuck](#): > > Of course you did. Whatever about anything else posted in that thread, what you typed in that post was an insult. > [@magellan01](#): > > and you would have saved everyone in this thread time by not insulting a poster in GQ. Maybe you should give yourself a Warning to remind yourself to not do it. All I can say is that you evidently don’t understand the rule against personal insults on this board. What I posted was not a personal insult. And if you take this remark as being insulting, that will just prove my point.😉 ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/32 "2016-06-15T06:02:26Z")
Personally, I think **Colibri** would have been fully justified in warning **UberArchetype** for “being a jerk.” Also, clearly the “nothing of value” refers to the “education” **UberArchetype** claims to have been providing. Thankfully, there’s no SDMB rule we have to pretend that a poster’s condescending attempts to “educate” us with inaccurate “facts” are of any value. **UberArchetype** himself states clearly his belief that **Colibri** insulted him _by not believing the “veracity” of his “knowledge”_. Thankfully, there’s also no SDMB rule that we have to believe whatever a poster claims is true. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/33 "2016-06-15T14:39:14Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I didn’t say anyone or anything was ignorant. I didn’t say you did. If you had read more closely you would have noticed I was responding to **Riemann**. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/34 "2016-06-16T00:17:05Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And that, perhaps, such snarky posts that serve no function be made as a poster instead of as a moderator. **Colibri** ’s snarky post _was_ made as a poster, not a moderator. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/35 "2016-06-17T01:35:37Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > **Colibri** ’s snarky post _was_ made as a poster, not a moderator. So should we bookmark this thread for when someone gets warned or noted for a snarky post similar to Colibri? ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/36 "2016-06-18T23:36:43Z")
Know what this is? |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| All the hairs that are being split in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/37 "2016-06-19T05:13:53Z")
> [@tim314](#): > > Personally, I think **Colibri** would have been fully justified in warning **UberArchetype** for “being a jerk.” I considered it. > [@Irishman](#): > > **Colibri** ’s snarky post _was_ made as a poster, not a moderator. Correct. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/38 "2016-06-23T02:26:24Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > So should we bookmark this thread for when someone gets warned or noted for a snarky post similar to Colibri? You haven’t already? I’m sure someone has, just on principle. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/39 "2016-06-23T03:15:02Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Know what this is? > |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| > All the hairs that are being split in this thread. You missed one. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139/40 "2016-06-29T23:53:34Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I did not insult the poster. I said that his contributions in that thread were not of value. Distinction without a difference. “your posts are worthless” isn’t any less insulting than “you are a worthless poster” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/colibris-insult-in-general-questions/757139.md?page=3)