This is actually a very interesting point, one that I’ve struggled with myself. I tend to be a very un-judgemental, live-and-let-live person, but some things simply are wrong, and how do I suspend judgement of those things, and should I? And how do I decide which things are fundamentally wrong, and which ones are simply repugnant to me _personally_?
---
### Author:  [@Roland\_Deschain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Deschain)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/125 "2005-02-01T05:57:55Z")
> [@Lynn Bodoni](#):
>
> This technique is also called trolling. Do NOT do it again. **Roland Deschain** , your posting habits are currently being discussed in mod mail. If you wish to keep posting on the SDMB, quit emulating Rush Limbaugh and start acting like a reasonable human being, not a troll.
>
> Lynn Bodoni
> For the Straight Dope
Maybe I don’t understand what trolling is. I read a thread in the Pit by a teacher who caught some of his computer science students cheating and the “tone” offended me relative to what I’ve been exposed to in school (which is the mentality that all perspectives including those of objectivists and even sociopaths are to be respected). Note, I have no problem with punishing the students they broke the rules so that’s the way it goes. What I objected to was the “tone” of his Pit relative to the attitude of tolerance which is constantly decried at my (and I suspect other) campuses. That is to say that those students subscribed to a philosophy that cheating is an acceptible “survival tool” for college. Had they been my students I would have said something like “I respect your right to feel that way, but please understand that I have no choice but to fail you. You should also consider that you are limiting your educational experience. Then again perhaps you have.”
I created a Pit thread which expressed my honest angst at his attitude (note I didn’t even Pit him personally, I couldn’t even tell you his name unless I looked. I was instead responding to his approach). How is that trolling?
As for Rush Limbaugh he is one of the most respected people in America (and also most controversial granted) and many consider him to be a great man (as I do some people on the Left such as Ralph Nadar or Lawrence Tribe, or Dr. Dean Edell who is actually a moderate I think).
---
### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/126 "2005-02-01T06:03:15Z")
**Lynn** , in this case, I honestly don’t believe he was trolling-just being his usual, clueless self.
Or engaging in hyperbole to make a point. (God, I can’t believe I’m defending this moron here!)
**Roland** , you have issues. Get help.
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### Author:  [@Roland\_Deschain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Deschain)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/127 "2005-02-01T06:17:59Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> **Lynn** , in this case, I honestly don’t believe he was trolling-just being his usual, clueless self.
>
> Or engaging in hyperbole to make a point. (God, I can’t believe I’m defending this moron here!)
>
> **Roland** , you have issues. Get help.
Look, I follow a few simple rules when posting:
1. I try never to insult anyone personally or hurt anyone’s feelings. For me this is my personal Prime Directive. Life is often shitty enough without people deliberately saying things to make it worse. Believe it or not I really like most people, even most people who can’t stand me. Instead I try to challenge ideas especially those associated with so called Conventional Wisdom which I normally can’t stand. It is my hope that I occassionally get people to look at an issue from a perspective which they hadn’t previously considered.
2. I only ask questions that I really care about getting answered.
3. I try to do a search to make sure the question hasn’t been answered at least from the angle that I’m asking it.
4. The Pit is a bit different since it often involes opinions rather than questions. Frankly until I was Pitted seemingly constantly I had never visited this section of the Website. I confined almost all of my activity to GQ, and IMHO (and a few Cafe Society questions).
5. Beyond that I say what I honestly think to Hell with the consequences. It doesn’t matter if my wife threatens to leave me for posting, you threaten to ban me or George Bush himself threatened to send me to Gitmo (frankly I operate by the same criteria in most areas of my life operating by to the beat of my own drummer with little regard to the consequences). I must not be that nuts having never been arrested (although occassinoally fired) for my attitudes.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/128 "2005-02-01T06:21:15Z")
If your wife is threatening to leave you because you’re still posting personal shit, then yes, you deserve what you get.
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### Author:  [@Roland\_Deschain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Deschain)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/129 "2005-02-01T06:51:53Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> If your wife is threatening to leave you because you’re still posting personal shit, then yes, you deserve what you get.
Actually, we haven’t fought about my posting in almost two years for several reasons:
1. She has been busy worrying about bigger things like us losing our home, and graduating from nursing school.
2. She no longer reads my posts. Most of my opinions grate on her about like they do many of you. She realizes that there are worse things I could do.
3. She has come to realize that the odds of anything that I say here impacting our actual lives are very small indeed. Even less than they were when we had our own business.
4. I think she really appreciates the fact I agreed to go to the Swing club (even though we haven’t gone yet and may not actually go). My willinginess to do this has bought me some “posting capital” and like President Bush I intend to spend it!
---
### Author:  [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/130 "2005-02-01T08:30:09Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#):
>
> Maybe I don’t understand what trolling is. I read a thread in the Pit by a teacher who caught some of his computer science students cheating and the “tone” offended me relative to what I’ve been exposed to in school (which is the mentality that all perspectives including those of objectivists and even sociopaths are to be respected)… Had they been my students I would have said something like “I respect your right to feel that way, but please understand that I have no choice but to fail you. You should also consider that you are limiting your educational experience. Then again perhaps you have.”
Dude, what the fuck? His intolerance of cheating offends you because your don’t like your school’s doctrine of respect for all viewpoints? You did say you were attempting to “illustrate absurdity with absurdity”, right? Seriously, what the fuck are you even saying? When come back, bring coherency.
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### Author:  [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/131 "2005-02-01T08:49:46Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#):
>
> . . . I may very well be taking care of you or someone you love one day. Sleep well!
> [@Roland Deschain](#):
>
> I think she really appreciates the fact I agreed to go to the Swing club (even though we haven’t gone yet and may not actually go).
And someone may very well be taking care of your wife someday. Sleep well!
---
### Author:  [@FrostySonofThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrostySonofThunder)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/132 "2005-02-01T09:19:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Originally posted by **Roland Deschain**
> [snip]
> As for Rush Limbaugh he is \*\*one of the most respected people in America \*\* (and also most controversial granted) and many consider him to be a great man (as I do some people on the Left such as Ralph Nadar or Lawrence Tribe, or Dr. Dean Edell who is actually a moderate I think).
Bolding mine.
WTF!!
What’s the difference between Rush Limbaugh and the Hindenburg?
One’s a huge flaming gasbag, and the other’s a Zeppelin.
---
### Author:  [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/133 "2005-02-01T09:33:07Z")
Oh come now, it’s obvious that only the most respected of Americans would send their maids into crime ridden sections of town to score illegal pain meds.
-Rush: Proof that you can still work while stoned out of your gourd.
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### Author:  [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/134 "2005-02-01T14:38:03Z")
And not pay any consequences for the drug abuse…hey, it’s America and he’s a conservative! Anything and everyting goes! Yippee!
**Roland** --I think your view of America is very narrow if you think that Limbaugh is one of the most respected men here. Feared, maybe; placated, absolutely- but respected? No way. The day his ratings drop, he’s history–something to keep in mind.
I am completely confused by this thread-first you say you are against skills testing (because you can’t pass), and you intend to do whatever it takes to get thru nursing. Then you say that if you were the teacher, you would not condone cheating.
Which is it? Is is ok for you to cheat, but not others? Is it only ok to cheat in nursing, but computer science is out?
The less I hear about anyone’s spouse and a Swing Club, the better, thank you very much. Does your nursing program have a morals clause? Mine did–maybe you’d better check. I have no problem with such clubs for all consenting adults (just don’t want any part of them), but nursing is a conservative, rigidly moral profession–you might just want to check into how your personal habits may come under scrutiny by the school…
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### Author:  [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/135 "2005-02-01T16:37:47Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#):
>
> (as I do some people on the Left such as Ralph Nadar or Lawrence Tribe, or Dr. Dean Edell who is actually a moderate I think).
Ralph Nadar - he’s the guy that invented the device that can find nudity from a long distance, right? **NA** kedness **D** etection **A** nd **R** anging…
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### Author:  [@Tyro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyro)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/136 "2005-02-01T16:48:54Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#):
>
> As examples she offered Satanists, Objectivists (think of Ian Rand), and Hedonists just as much as we might Jews and Catholics.
You’ll have to forgive me as I’m new here but isn’t it Ayn Rand? :rolleyes:
> [@](#):
>
> Where am I going wrong here?
From the rest of your post I’d say roughtly three seconds after birth.
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### Author:  [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/137 "2005-02-01T16:49:43Z")
> [@manhattan](#):
>
> Äyn øbjectivist once bit my sister…
Damn funny and clever.
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### Author:  [@Jillyvn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jillyvn)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/138 "2005-02-01T18:05:54Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#):
>
> Frankly, this attitude of “I want to be a nurse, and we need nurses, so I should get to become one-no matter how poor my skills and attitude are” is not uncommon. The students that come out of school these days!–they can’t spell, they can’t document status and changes in a pt adequately–oh, that’s a whole nother thread, believe me…
Have to say, I second this one. My mom works as an LPN and trains nurse students. She is constantly amazed at the complete incompetance, in terms of general knowledge and practical skills.
To hear Roland profess this stuff scares me.
Do they have psych screening for nurses in the states?
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### Author:  [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/139 "2005-02-01T19:52:05Z")
> [@Roland Deschain](#):
>
> However, as someone who believes in small limited government (I named my son after Ronald Reagan),
Now, that’s funny.
But, going back to the OP, what I want to know is, is it spelled **Ian** or **Ann**. And where did John Galt go, and for how long?
Enquiring minds want to know.
Stranger
---
### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-we-also-have-to-respect-cheaters-and-sociopaths/287204/140 "2005-02-01T20:00:38Z")
> [@FrostySonofThunder](#):
>
> Bolding mine.
>
> WTF!!
>
> What’s the difference between Rush Limbaugh and the Hindenburg?
>
> One’s a huge flaming gasbag, and the other’s a Zeppelin.
You messed it up. It’s flaming NAZI gasbag.
😉
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