# Is this really worth a warning? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 28, 2016, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472 "2016-01-28T06:35:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**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:** [February 2, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/161 "2016-02-02T23:41:53Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > My interpretation is different. If you say, “anyone named John is an idiot.” And I respond, “by your own logic, you are an idiot.” Did I just call you an idiot? I don’t think I did. I explained that if you apply your standard of what constitutes an idiot, then you meet it. I have not proclaimed my own standard nor whether you meet it. Not seeing how that matters. “I think you’re fine, but most people think you’re an idiot” should not be considered OK posting on this MB. Your example, and **Mr Beef** ’s original post, could just as easily be interpreted as: “You’re such a loser/idiot you don’t even realize you just called yourself one”. There are many different ways those posts could be read, and \*\*Mr Beef \*\*insisting that his is the only reasonable interpretation is nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/162 "2016-02-02T23:59:03Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Your example, and **Mr Beef** ’s original post, could just as easily be interpreted as: “You’re such a loser/idiot you don’t even realize you just called yourself one”. I guess it could, but like Bone’s interpretation of Beef’s original message (“We’re both losers!”), it fails the most-likely-meaning test. Do you really think posters should be held to an “any viable interpretation” standard? Do you really want your own posts to be held to that standard? I suspect, were I behind a Rawlsian veil of ignorance, I would choose for the policy of a community of which I would be a member not to be that I could be punished if any possible interpretation of what I say could be construed as an insult. It’s surprising to me that that seems to be a minority opinion. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/163 "2016-02-03T00:05:13Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > If you find it so pointless, feel free to ignore the thread. It’s pretty easy. Please see post #158. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/164 "2016-02-03T00:12:42Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Please see post #158. That was a good post. ---
**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 3, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/165 "2016-02-03T00:59:33Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > Did you mean to post this in the “What’s an example of a non-sequitur” thread? No, that’s for making wild-assed comparisons to Barack Obama. ---
**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 3, 2016, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/166 "2016-02-03T01:01:10Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > Did you mean to post this in the “What’s an example of a non-sequitur” thread? No, but goddamn is this frozen pizza satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/167 "2016-02-03T01:04:13Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > No, but goddamn is this frozen pizza satisfying. I don’t follow. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/168 "2016-02-03T01:14:08Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > I don’t follow. U2 had a song about following. Pretty good one, too. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/169 "2016-02-03T02:37:41Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > No, but goddamn is this frozen pizza satisfying. They’re even better if you heat them up. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/170 "2016-02-03T02:48:40Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > They’re even better if you heat them up. :smack: D’oh! See? _Always_ read the directions. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/171 "2016-02-03T03:29:59Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Honestly, when I read Dajn’s post I thought the rationale for the insult was not the post count but because Dajn assumed that SenorBeef believes that a high number of posts makes him correct and if SenorBeef truly believes more posts = more correct is pretty stupid. That is exactly the way that I read it, and I’m surprised that more people didn’t catch that earlier. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2016, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/172 "2016-02-03T03:33:35Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > They’re even better if you heat them up. I understand dead horse is quite tasty if tenderized by beating it sufficiently. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2016, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/173 "2016-02-03T04:09:56Z")
But here is some new information. The guy was clearly a dickbucket. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/174 "2016-02-03T12:59:54Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > No, but goddamn is this frozen pizza satisfying. Reported. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/175 "2016-02-03T18:36:02Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I actually agree with **SenorBeef**. When read in context, there is an unwritten qualifier, “by your own logic.” When you apply that qualifier, **SenorBeef** is not calling whatshisname a loser. To me, that’s the obvious and natural meaning, but I understand everyone’s interpretation of written language is different. That is the way I read it as well and it seems blatantly obvious to me. However, to other posters it seems obvious it was an insult. Maybe there is some psycho-mojo at work here where people read the same thing and ascribe completely opposite meanings to it. Is there a term for that and does it exist elsewhere? ---
**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:** [February 3, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/176 "2016-02-03T19:02:27Z")
By this logic I should be able to say, “I am not insulting you but you’re an asshole.” to another poster outside the Pit. Do my magic words work? ---
**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:** [February 3, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/177 "2016-02-03T19:38:43Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > That is the way I read it as well and it seems blatantly obvious to me. However, to other posters it seems obvious it was an insult. Maybe there is some psycho-mojo at work here where people read the same thing and ascribe completely opposite meanings to it. Is there a term for that and does it exist elsewhere? Complete opposite meanings? Did **SenorBeef** mean to compliment him by calling him a loser? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/178 "2016-02-03T20:04:00Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > That is the way I read it as well and it seems blatantly obvious to me. However, to other posters it seems obvious it was an insult. Maybe there is some psycho-mojo at work here where people read the same thing and ascribe completely opposite meanings to it. Is there a term for that and does it exist elsewhere? Yes, everyone understands the implied “by your own logic” in the insult. That’s not the disconnect. The disconnect is in the idea that you can skirt the rules against insulting someone by saying, “By someone else’s logic, you’re \” It doesn’t matter whose logic you’re using when you insult someone. You’re still insulting them, and that’s not allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/179 "2016-02-03T20:25:21Z")
Well, I’ll say this: If this thread is new precedent that even implied insults that might be skirting the rules are now warnable offenses, I’m satisfied. Take it on the chin, **SenorBeef** , and rest easy knowing that Idle Thoughts will henceforth be evenhandedly applying this metric to all posters who been around long enough to know better. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472/180 "2016-02-03T20:26:38Z")
I got away with almost exactly this some years ago. I can only assume that my sentiment was so universally shared that no one reported me. SenorBeef was not so lucky. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-really-worth-a-warning/744472.md?page=10)