# Highlighting a relevant part of a quote is NOT selective quoting **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 7, 2023, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225 "2023-12-07T08:46:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![andrewm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@andrewm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewm)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/21 "2023-12-07T13:47:47Z")
The post could have been criticized just as well by quoting at least the whole sentence. IMO it was fully deserving of criticism, but the trimming made it look somewhat worse than it actually was. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/22 "2023-12-07T14:08:15Z")
I think it only alters the meaning of the text if you think the full text wasn’t body shaming. Except, you know, it was. Because it’s only a criticism of the photo to remark on it making it look like someone has a short neck if… there’s something wrong with having a short neck. If I said “That photo makes her look fat” that _would_ be fast-shaming, IMHO. There (might) be plausible deniability when it comes to whether the subject of the photo is _personally_ being attacked, but to me it’s very clear that “fat” = “bad” according to the poster. Because if there weren’t anything “bad” about being fat… or having a short neck… or… whatever, it wouldn’t have been remarked on. And when you see the exaggerated AI photos DG compared the original photo to, it’s very clear to me that DG was engaged in body shaming. I think this was a questionable call by a mod. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/23 "2023-12-07T14:55:56Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > If I said “That photo makes her look fat” that _would_ be fast-shaming, IMHO. Howabout, “that fun-house mirror makes you look fat”? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/24 "2023-12-07T16:12:14Z")
So of course selective quotation appropriateness is contingent on whether or not relevant context is included or removed. In this case @MrDibble defense for the quoting used is that they believe that there is an implication that having an abnormally short neck might be a negative and that such an implication is “body shaming.” But even if there was clearly such an implication the post was not body shaming Ms Swift, who is not being criticized for having a short neck, which is what was implied by the selected quote and comment. _General_ comments that one finds, oh say big chins, unattractive, are not body shaming. Making fun of Jay Leno specifically for his chin would be. Commenting that a photograph made my wife look less attractive or odd in some feature other than how she actually looks would not be body shaming her. If it made her look bald and I complained about that I am not body shaming women with alopecia. @MrDibble’s use of quotation was like the complaint about the picture - it presented an inaccurate image of the reality. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/25 "2023-12-07T17:00:57Z")
I’ll go a little further than some of the others and say that this whole thing is just a metaphorical tempest in a teapot and is just silly. Whatever faults **Darren\_Garrison** may or may not have, they are not on display here. He’s basically saying that the picture of Taylor Swift in question is unflattering. I mean, WTF could anybody think is wrong with that? I don’t happen to agree – I actually think it’s a fairly reasonable picture – but to demand sanctions for saying it is, I think, really beyond the pale. And yes, I do think that the way the quote was edited is deceptive and makes the comment seem to say something different than what was intended. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/26 "2023-12-07T17:07:42Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > Except, you know, it was. Because it’s only a criticism of the photo to remark on it making it look like someone has a short neck if… there’s something wrong with having a short neck. Or, it could be that the photo makes the person look different than they usually do and it is being noted. Why can’t it be a critique on the photograph and not the person or saying there is something wrong with short necks? I honestly do not understand why so much effort here and elsewhere is put into “bad Photoshopping” or just a bad photo unless some egregious mistake was made. (I didn’t even know short neck shaming was a thing…TIL) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/27 "2023-12-07T17:52:56Z")
I think there’s nuance here, because Darren’s later posts did enter lecherous territory (and he was mod-noted for it). So MrDibble isn’t wrong in reading more meaning into Darren’s intent than simply talking about the angle of a photo. But the specific example of quoting _did_ alter the meaning of what was explicitly said. If you want to argue Darren was body shaming or being skeevy, this isn’t the right example. Use the posts that more obviously do that. ---
**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:** [December 7, 2023, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/28 "2023-12-07T18:30:20Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > Because it’s only a criticism of the photo to remark on it making it look like someone has a short neck if… there’s something wrong with having a short neck. > > If I said “That photo makes her look fat” that _would_ be fast-shaming, IMHO. There (might) be plausible deniability when it comes to whether the subject of the photo is _personally_ being attacked, but to me it’s very clear that “fat” = “bad” according to the poster. Because if there weren’t anything “bad” about being fat… or having a short neck… or… whatever, it wouldn’t have been remarked on. It seems like you’re coming quite close to saying that _any_ discrimination between physical characteristics is body shaming - including a compliment, since something can only be more attractive if the opposite is less attractive. And there’s some merit to this. I think the distinction I’d draw is that it’s perfectly okay (in appropriate circumstances) to express personal preferences, but it’s important to phrase them in a subjective way. I might tell a girlfriend that I love her long neck - which necessarily implies that I subjectively find short necks less attractive, but does not imply that short necks are _objectively_ undesirable. But of course, the subjective/objective distinction can be a little bogus with some things. There are widespread cultural norms - no doubt the great majority disfavor short necks, unhealthy complexions, etc. And that’s precisely the reason why we should only express our opinions on such matters in appropriate - usually private - circumstances. And maybe just keep them to ourselves when lusting after celebrities. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/29 "2023-12-07T19:19:15Z")
He didn’t say anything that suggests short-necked people are yucky. He said it made her look like she had no neck. I’d put it in the same category of “that angle makes it look like I’m missing a leg,” which would not be a commentary on amputees. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/30 "2023-12-07T19:34:18Z")
Note that I only _started_ calling it body-shaming after he explicitly compared her _Time_ photo to this: [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FpHfqHaaAAAICa-.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FpHfqHaaAAAICa-.jpg) An exaggeratedly absurd, comedic character. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/31 "2023-12-07T19:55:31Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > You were manipulating the quote. Even without the clothes part, it was clearly the intent that the picture was the thing altering her appearance, making her look “weird”. I concur. > [@MrDibble](#): > > No, I was not - how is verbatim quoting “manipulating”? I was calling out the important part. You took a bit out of context. I am surprised you didnt get modded for that. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/32 "2023-12-07T19:58:28Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You took a bit out of context. Sufficient context is right there : “V” is in every quoted post. I quoted sufficient for what I wanted to point out, simple as that. And the post _did_ get modded. Which is why this thread. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/33 "2023-12-07T20:03:48Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I quoted sufficient for what I wanted to point out, simple as that. “I quoted what I wanted.”, see taking things out of context changes the meaning. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2023, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/34 "2023-12-07T20:07:49Z")
Look at how you were forced to drop some of my words in the middle, to try and make your failing point. I didn’t do that. If you’d _actually_ quoted me like that, you’d be modded for it. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/35 "2023-12-08T01:15:13Z")
I agree. That same picture is what tipped the scales for me. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/36 "2023-12-08T01:30:26Z")
Agree with all of this. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/37 "2023-12-08T11:58:18Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > It’d be more of a non-issue if he didn’t have form for that kind of post. I agree that the context here is important, when we are talking about a poster who has a **[long, well-established history](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-darren-garrison/954165)** of saying crude and offensive things and implying or occasionally outright stating some very gross opinions. This board has a tendency to evaluate posts and post-specific actions, as noted in the OP, in a fairly narrow and legalistic fashion, but the reality is that some posters should not be given the benefit of the doubt and should be kept on a much shorter leash. My disagreement is found in my view that this should instead have been taken to the Pit thread. There, people could be properly reminded of the context, and they’d realize that the implication behind the behavior is not isolated and the type of comment they would otherwise defend is actually part of an unpleasant pattern. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/38 "2023-12-08T12:05:32Z")
Darren also used my cat hair comment to make a rude remark that got modded. At least I hope it was his comment and not mine that was the problem. I never suggested she’d be wearing the suit when the cat hair needs removing. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/39 "2023-12-08T12:13:35Z")
I would agree that: 1. If you’re going to bold/highlight a quote, you ought to say “bolding/highlighting mine”. Absent that, it’s gray area. 2. The quote was clearly about the garment’s unflattering concealment of the neck, not any attribute of the neck itself. Outfit critique ought to to be fair game. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225/40 "2023-12-08T12:34:10Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > The quote was clearly about the garment’s unflattering concealment of the neck, not any attribute of the neck itself. Outfit critique ought to to be fair game. Personally, I think she looks great in that photo. Taylor Swift is, objectively, an attractive person. She is, objectively, attractive in that photo. Maybe you (general “you”) have different preferences and sense of beauty in a woman but I cannot see how nitpicking on this photo is worthwhile. I do not see it as “body shaming.” Just some weird need to criticize. This whole thing is weird. Why are we discussing beauty here? It’s a photo of a person who is famous in the context of Time magazine’s person of the year. It is now a historic photo. I do not look at historic photos and critique their composition. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highlighting-a-relevant-part-of-a-quote-is-not-selective-quoting/994225.md?page=3)