# Is it me or .... ? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 30, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552 "2013-08-30T00:51:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**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:** [August 30, 2013, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/61 "2013-08-30T10:46:29Z")
> [@Penny](#): > > I apologize for my trolling but it’s the fastest way for me to put you in rows. I’ve been placed in a row by a fucking troll? Delightful. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/62 "2013-08-30T13:06:11Z")
> [@HardlySanguine](#): > > S… > Or maybe I’m just naive… You’re naive. It’s a troll Miller was quite charitable. ---
**Author:** ![Penny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@Penny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/63 "2013-08-30T15:09:31Z")
I’m not a troll … barring what I look like first thing in the morning of course. It’s working out just fine Nemo except we’re a bit off topic from verbiage. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/64 "2013-08-30T15:21:41Z")
> [@Penny](#): > > I apologize for my trolling > [@Penny](#): > > I am not a troll So… ETA: just saw **Miller** addressed this. (board performance problems) ---
**Author:** ![Penny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@Penny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/65 "2013-08-30T15:34:11Z")
Can a non-troll not “troll”? I’d like to think a troll is far more dedicated to his or her craft than one reaction inducing rant in the pit. I truly take issue with those who use a lot of words to say something in an attempt to look smart. You also have the real smarties who are intelligent but ramble on and on. You also have people who add a whole ton of irrelevant information. Get to the damn point! ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/66 "2013-08-30T15:43:37Z")
> [@Penny](#): > > You know, there was a legitimate pit worthy rant in my “troll”. > > I just curled up with War and Peace so the reg agrement as riveting as I’m sure it is, will just have to wait it’s turn. 🙂 Many of us here are quite nit-picky about grammar, punctuation and spelling. It’s wrong to say “wait it’s turn”. You could look it up. (Not to menntion “agrement”.) Many of us here do not think “get to the point” is the “point” of a message board. Are you at all familiar with the idea that the trip is often more fun than the destination? Perhaps you should follow Miller’s advice and do more reading and less ranting. By posting here you agree to abide by the agreement, so it might be nice to know what’s in it. Or do you sign contracts without reading them? Bye now. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/67 "2013-08-30T15:50:29Z")
> [@Penny](#): > > Can a non-troll not “troll”? No. Once you go troll, that’s just how you roll. Just because you decided to stay an amateur troll instead of “going pro” makes you no less of a troll. I suggest finding a nice bridge. Hopefully near some billy goats. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/68 "2013-08-30T15:52:31Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Age caput in porcum insere! Well played. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/69 "2013-08-30T15:58:53Z")
> [@Penny](#): > > I truly take issue with those who use a lot of words to say something in an attempt to look smart. You also have the real smarties who are intelligent but ramble on and on. You also have people who add a whole ton of irrelevant information. Get to the damn point! Shut up. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/70 "2013-08-30T16:00:29Z")
\*\* pouting because I don’t understand **QtheM** ’s post \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/71 "2013-08-30T16:03:26Z")
Comment 16.3A ---
**Author:** ![Penny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@Penny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/72 "2013-08-30T16:03:26Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Many of us here are quite nit-picky about grammar, punctuation and spelling. It’s wrong to say “wait it’s turn”. You could look it up. (Not to menntion “agrement”.) > > Many of us here do not think “get to the point” is the “point” of a message board. Are you at all familiar with the idea that the trip is often more fun than the destination? Perhaps you should follow Miller’s advice and do more reading and less ranting. By posting here you agree to abide by the agreement, so it might be nice to know what’s in it. Or do you sign contracts without reading them? > > Bye now. Yes, I see the “it’s”. Poor grammar is one of the hazards of writing from an ipod. Getting to the point in a post is not the point of a message board? Really? You might want to rethink what you just said there. Miller never advised me to do more reading than ranting. He told me to review the registration agreement, which I have. I do have to admit, I click “agree” without reading entire TOS agreements when loading software and the such. I like to live on the edge. ---
**Author:** ![Penny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@Penny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/73 "2013-08-30T16:05:48Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Shut up. Bravo! ---
**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:** [August 30, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/74 "2013-08-30T16:06:50Z")
> [@Penny](#): > > Can a non-troll not “troll”? I’d like to think a troll is far more dedicated to his or her craft than one reaction inducing rant in the pit. > > I truly take issue with those who use a lot of words to say something in an attempt to look smart. You also have the real smarties who are intelligent but ramble on and on. You also have people who add a whole ton of irrelevant information. Get to the damn point! Trolling is as trolling does. Your premise is flawed. You seem to think folks use “lots of words to look smart”. That’s your insecurities shining through. Someone can look smart or dumb in few words or many. It’s the content of their posts that matter. However, using fewer words to explain something is not inherently better than using many. No one is doing anything “to look smart”. That’s kind of insulting, frankly. People are expressing themselves in the way they feel gets their point across. So grow up and stop judging people because of your own preconceived ideas of how people _should_ post. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/75 "2013-08-30T16:22:00Z")
> [@Penny](#): > > You know, there was a legitimate pit worthy rant in my “troll”. > > I just curled up with War and Peace so the reg agrement as riveting as I’m sure it is, will just have to wait it’s turn. 🙂 It’s turn. You fucking moron. No faux intellectual you, that’s for sure. No real intellectual either. When did they stop teaching simple punctuation? ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/76 "2013-08-30T16:26:15Z")
Personally, and I can’t speak for anyone else, the more words I type, the harder it is for the aliens to get me ---
**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:** [August 30, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/77 "2013-08-30T16:26:56Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > It’s turn. You fucking moron. No faux intellectual you, that’s for sure. No real intellectual either. When did they stop teaching simple punctuation? They didn’t stop teaching it. Some people just decide that how they communicate is irrelevant (grammar, spelling, word choice) as long you “get your point across”. “You know what I mean” is the last cry of the willfully ignorant. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/78 "2013-08-30T16:44:31Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > While brevity may often be the most efficient way of conveying an idea, some concepts are better served by fuller exposition For example, there is the classic question, ‘Have you stopped beating your wife? Answer “Yes” or “No.”’ If one answers ‘Yes’, then obviously he used to beat his wife. The implication of the answer ‘No’ is that he has been beating his wife, and is continuing to do so. Of course, ‘No’ would be correct if the man does not beat his wife and never has beaten his wife; he cannot stop beating her if he never started. Thus, a brief answer will not suffice for the innocent man. He needs to explain, against the instructions by the querent, that he has never beaten his wife. > > Additionally, many statements require background information in order to be understood, or not misunderstood. A person may observe behaviour amongst a certain group, which he does not observe in other groups. If his enquiry is brief, such as ‘Why do [these people] do [this]?’, then others will certainly chime in with examples that the person has not observed. They may point out that some members of the specified group do engage in the given activity, but that members of the group as a whole do not. It behooves the questioner to give some context to his query. For example, ‘I have noticed that some members of [this group] engage in [this activity]. By no means do I suggest that all or most [members of this group] do this. It occurred to me that this behaviour is something engaged in by some members of a subset of this group, as I have not seen it amongst members who appear to be from a different demographic. Could this be a cultural behaviour by this subset; behaviour which I have not seen amongst people who are not [members of this group]?’ To be sure, more background information or various disclaimers may be needed to ensure that one’s intentions are not misconstrued; but it’s better than the simple question as to why [Group X] engages in a certain activity. > > There is a concept of ‘simple answers for simple people’, which can lead to people believing that there are easy answers to very complex issues. We have seen, for example, how this adversely affects our political system. If we, as a group, tend to be somewhat verbose, it is only because we wish to provide context for our statements and arguments. tv;dr ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/79 "2013-08-30T16:50:02Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > \*\* pouting because I don’t understand **QtheM** ’s post \*\* See this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15207883). ---
**Author:** ![Penny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@Penny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552/80 "2013-08-30T16:59:39Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > They didn’t stop teaching it. Some people just decide that how they communicate is irrelevant (grammar, spelling, word choice) as long you “get your point across”. > > “You know what I mean” is the last cry of the willfully ignorant. That is the point of communication isn’t it? To get your point across? If I grunt and point to my mouth and belly or say “I’m hungry” do you not understand a want for food? There is also a difference between typos, auto correct and lacking knowledge of grammar. Mr. Door, I already addressed the auto correct grammar issue above. LTR? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-me-or/667552.md?page=5)