# IMHO **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 17, 2014, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530 "2014-02-17T07:34:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/41 "2014-02-17T16:40:10Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > Right. Got it. > I won’t call people stupid. > > I’ll just insinuate that they don’t have the manners of a kindergartner, or that they don’t comprehend “native english”, or tell them to go post somewhere else on the internet. But I won’t call them stupid, because, that, would be rude. I think we’ve seen enough, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/42 "2014-02-17T16:44:22Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > I think we’ve seen enough, thank you very much. what is that supposed to mean? ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/43 "2014-02-17T16:45:23Z")
[We have one guiding principle: Don’t be a jerk.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=347160) ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/44 "2014-02-17T16:46:57Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > [We have one guiding principle: Don’t be a jerk.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=347160) well you’re doing a poor job of holding to it! Racheellogram Why not post on one of the thousands of other online forums that agrees with your approach to human interactions? This one is obviously ill-suited to you. Lefthandofdarkness: And your defense of “BUT IT’S TEH TROOOOTH!!!” is one of the lamest and most tired overused defenses of people breaking messageboard rules in the history of people breaking messageboard rules. Give it a rest, wouldja? VinylTurnip: I’m seldom effusive in my praise, but he does have a firm command of the rules of capitalization. IvoryTowerDenizen: One of the first things taught kindergarteners is not to call names. ChefGuy: “Stupid” is inflammatory, “misinformed” is not. “Liar” is inflammatory, “mistaken” is not. It’s how the the language works. I’m confident that you, as a native speaker, are fully aware of this distinction, which makes your protest here a fool’s errand. Loach:The rules may be weird to you (despite a join date of 2005) but they are reasonably clear. And you don’t have to memorize them, they are right there at the top of this forum in a stickied thread. No one’s fault but yours if you decided not to read them. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/45 "2014-02-17T16:59:41Z")
Talk about a Pyrrhic victory here. Any point made has been destroyed by the legions of flames which were ignited behind it. Or as Bill Cosby put it: Mine! Mine! Mine! ---
**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:** [February 17, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/46 "2014-02-17T17:04:57Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > this is getting a bit tedious. … ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/47 "2014-02-17T17:05:55Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I suspect that for some weird reason you came back to the board to flame out so all of this will fall on deaf ears but what the hell. Or someone hacked a rarely used password and decided to use it to mess with us. ---
**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 17, 2014, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/48 "2014-02-17T17:22:29Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > take it to heart that i will put as much effort as possible into finding backhanded insults and thinly vield hostility. since that is, after all, what is both encouraged and quite common. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/49 "2014-02-17T17:43:23Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Good luck! he’s going to need it! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/50 "2014-02-17T17:50:02Z")
We’re all counting on you. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/51 "2014-02-17T17:50:20Z")
Robert, you have made it abundantly clear that you disagree with the standards and rules of this message board, as well as how they are enforced. That’s fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, those things are not going to change because you disagree with them. You’ve had your say. Having been a member here for over a decade and having seen hundreds of people with similar attitudes come and go, I can tell you that you have two options here: 1 - suck it up, deal with the fact that things here are run wrongly, and stick to the rules anyway. 2 - plant your flag on this hill, fight until the death defending your point of view, and get banned in a week or so when everyone gets tired of arguing with you. Your call. ---
**Author:** ![yawuntz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@yawuntz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawuntz)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/52 "2014-02-17T17:59:19Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > well you’re doing a poor job of holding to it! > > _Racheellogram_ > Why not post on one of the thousands of other online forums that agrees with your approach to human interactions? This one is obviously ill-suited to you. > > _Lefthandofdarkness_: > And your defense of “BUT IT’S TEH TROOOOTH!!!” is one of the lamest and most tired overused defenses of people breaking messageboard rules in the history of people breaking messageboard rules. Give it a rest, wouldja? > > _VinylTurnip_: > I’m seldom effusive in my praise, but he does have a firm command of the rules of capitalization. > > _IvoryTowerDenizen_: > One of the first things taught kindergarteners is not to call names. > > _ChefGuy_: > “Stupid” is inflammatory, “misinformed” is not. “Liar” is inflammatory, “mistaken” is not. It’s how the the language works. I’m confident that you, as a native speaker, are fully aware of this distinction, which makes your protest here a fool’s errand. > > _Loach_:The rules may be weird to you (despite a join date of 2005) but they are reasonably clear. And you don’t have to memorize them, they are right there at the top of this forum in a stickied thread. No one’s fault but yours if you decided not to read them. To the posters whose handles I’ve italicized, above, and to the two mods: thank you for your comments here, which have been, without exception intelligent, non-inflammatory, germane and true. Additional thanks for not having chips on your shoulders and bugs up your asses. It has been a pleasure to read you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/53 "2014-02-17T18:21:02Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > take it to heart that i will put as much effort as possible into finding backhanded insults and thinly vield hostility. since that is, after all, what is both encouraged and quite common. In fact, it used to be MUCH more common, especially from mods. I will warn you, however, that there’s a long-standing tradition of mods blurring that line. The rule you’re trying to skirt is “no direct insults”, but you will eventually run up against “don’t be a jerk” if you skirt “no direct insults” too closely too often. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/54 "2014-02-17T18:29:30Z")
The sad part, IMHO, is how you’ve completely mischaracterized the folks on this board. I have seen incredible support for posters through marriages, divorces, births of children and deaths of children, parents and spouses. I’ve seen posters stay up all night to help someone through a rough time. I’ve seen posters bicker and argue and then reach out and and back each other up. I’ve seen posters completely reverse their position after really listening and understanding a complex argument and seen people passionately fight for something and not give in. The strict rules defining what you can criticize and what you cannot is what makes this place, most of the time, civilized. If you can’t see past the nuanced expectations here, then I’m afraid you’re going to be missing all the good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/55 "2014-02-17T19:04:32Z")
Robert, when it’s you on the one side, and everyone else on the other, you are probably the problem… ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/56 "2014-02-17T19:24:00Z")
> [@Ayatollah Yawuntz](#): > > To the posters whose handles I’ve italicized, above, and to the two mods: thank you for your comments here, which have been, without exception intelligent, non-inflammatory, germane and true. Additional thanks for not having chips on your shoulders and bugs up your asses. It has been a pleasure to read you 🙂 I was taken aback by his response to these comments. While I understand that it’s difficult or even impossible to read inflection or intent into the written word, his responses seemed to be a determined effort to interpret them all as personal attacks of some sort. If you translate mine to a possible real life encounter, calling someone “stupid” may result in a busted lip. Telling someone they’re misinformed is more likely to result in a puzzled look. My point was just that it’s human nature to find some words inflammatory, so why use them unless you’re spoiling for a fight? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/57 "2014-02-17T21:42:04Z")
As far as I can tell the OP believes: [ul][li]That as a newbie he deserves special consideration,[/li][li]though he joined in 2005,[/li][li]and made some 130 posts in 2012,[/li][li]which is far back enough so that he shouldn’t be expected to remember the rules.[/li][li]Furthermore he argues that the rules are ill-conceived,[/li][li]and argues the point vociferously,[/li][li]over many posts,[/li][li]though he is a newbie,[/li][li]who deserves special consideration. [/li][li]In particular he believes he has been treated in a condescending fashion,[/li][li]which he thinks is wrong,[/li][li]so he calls other posters stupid,[/li][li]outside of the BBQ pit,[/li][li]using non-standard punctuation,[/li][li]and believes such labels properly apply to other posters.[/li][li]So he should be permitted to call other posters stupid outside of the BBQ pit,[/li][li]and barring that he will endeavor to skirt the rules.[/li][/ul] I opine that knowledge of oneself is a virtue. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/58 "2014-02-17T21:47:56Z")
I’m surprised that after post #41 the hammer has not yet come down. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/59 "2014-02-17T22:13:08Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > As far as I can tell the OP believes: > > [ul][li]That as a newbie he deserves special consideration,[/li][li]though he joined in 2005,[/li][li]and made some 130 posts in 2012,[/li][li]which is far back enough so that he shouldn’t be expected to remember the rules.[/li][li]Furthermore he argues that the rules are ill-conceived,[/li][li]and argues the point vociferously,[/li][li]over many posts,[/li][li]though he is a newbie,[/li][li]who deserves special consideration. [/li][li]In particular he believes he has been treated in a condescending fashion,[/li][li]which he thinks is wrong,[/li][li]so he calls other posters stupid,[/li][li]outside of the BBQ pit,[/li][li]using non-standard punctuation,[/li][li]and believes such labels properly apply to other posters.[/li][li]So he should be permitted to call other posters stupid outside of the BBQ pit,[/li][li]and barring that he will endeavor to skirt the rules.[/li][/ul] I opine that knowledge of oneself is a virtue. It’s almost a poem. Needs more cranes and cherry trees, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530/60 "2014-02-17T22:23:27Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > As far as I can tell the OP believes: > > [ul][li]That as a newbie he deserves special consideration,[/li][li]though he joined in 2005,[/li][li]and made some 130 posts in 2012,[/li][li]which is far back enough so that he shouldn’t be expected to remember the rules.[/li][li]Furthermore he argues that the rules are ill-conceived,[/li][li]and argues the point vociferously,[/li][li]over many posts,[/li][li]though he is a newbie,[/li][li]who deserves special consideration. [/li][li]In particular he believes he has been treated in a condescending fashion,[/li][li]which he thinks is wrong,[/li][li]so he calls other posters stupid,[/li][li]outside of the BBQ pit,[/li][li]using non-standard punctuation,[/li][li]and believes such labels properly apply to other posters.[/li][li]So he should be permitted to call other posters stupid outside of the BBQ pit,[/li][li]and barring that he will endeavor to skirt the rules.[/li][/ul] I opine that knowledge of oneself is a virtue. That reminds me, I have to clean out the shower drain. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imho/681530.md?page=4)