# Octopus here's your own thread to shit all over

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [June 6, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550 "2018-06-06T15:40:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 68

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**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550/1345 "2022-09-11T19:53:25Z")

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So, @octopus keeps dodging the question, but I’m going to ask this directly - no insults, no accusation, just flat out ask you. I’ve even taken you off ignore so I can see your feelings.

You have made it abundantly clear that you consider the vast majority of the board a left-leaning echo chamber that you have zero respect for (because of our beliefs) that are immune to your attempts to reason with us, and hopelessly beholden to the ruses of the left. Fine.

So, and this is the question, why are you still here? Seriously, you’ve been asked this dozens of times, and yet I have to see a single answer of note. The way I see it, there are two options.

The first, which is what most people tend to assume is that you enjoy the roll of being a gladfly. Not a troll, but someone who believes if you keep biting us, someone is going to suddenly change their minds and thank you for your otherwise thankless work.

The second, is that you see yourself as ‘the last man on earth’ such as in the novella “I am Legend”. All the other non-hive members are gone or nearly so, and you want to continue a final stand for that POV even though you admit that you’re one of the last. You don’t think we’ll change, but you don’t want to concede the field as it will. And you’re fully comfortable that the remainder considers you a monster, but you’re not bothered by it.

Or of course, there could be endless other possibilities. But again, I ask you in all sincerity, “Why are you still here?”

It is a question asked by many, and I hope you do not dodge it.

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**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2022, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550/1346 "2022-09-12T00:33:09Z")

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You forgot “you can’t tell me what to do!”, which has been his previous answer.

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**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2022, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550/1347 "2022-09-12T03:10:03Z")

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Not the vast majority. A pretty vocal contingent in P&E and GD desire an echo chamber and use social manipulation in an attempt to achieve it. Despite that I still gain more value from reading and interacting with folks whose point of view differs greatly from mine. I see darn near zero value primarily interacting with folks who share my point of view.

I think the biggest danger to classically liberal democracy is the increasing ideological self segregation.

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**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550/1348 "2022-09-12T14:54:28Z")

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Well then, thank you for your answer. I think you’re wrong on your analysis, but that’s entirely different. I do think the moment’s detente was worthwhile though.

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**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2022, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550/1349 "2022-09-12T15:32:15Z")

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You don’t act as if you value any of that. You’re constantly attacking us. And I don’t mean counterarguments, as those are rare. I mean saying we’re all part of hive, telling us we’re bad, and so on. And I mean just your basic trolling-behavior, of clearly taking joy in making people upset at you.

Just because you’re here doesn’t mean you’re not self-segregating, treating everyone else as this uniform other to be defeated, not ideas worth considering, and alienating everyone else.

It frankly seems more like we’re your two minutes of hate than people you actually consider to have valuable opinions on things.

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**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550/1350 "2023-01-07T06:37:33Z")

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> [@I pit...myself](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-myself/977744/88):
>
> > [@I pit...myself](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-myself/977744/84):
> >
> > The real issue is that the left doesn’t really believe in liberty or fundamental freedoms.
> 
> And water is dry, and the sky is green.
> 
> [Here's the Long List of Topics Republicans Want Banned From the Classroom](https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/heres-the-long-list-of-topics-republicans-want-banned-from-the-classroom/2022/02)
> 
> You are an ignorant fool. But you are a true Republican. Look at what a Republican is accusing others of, and you’ll see what that Republican is guilty of.

You guys misunderstand **octopus**. Left and right are relative terms. He complains about the left and you foolishly post a link about leftists as if it doesn’t prove his point. Have you ever heard him talk about the right? I didn’t think so. You hear him say _he_’s right, when he’s clearly wrong. That’s not a contradiction, it’s his political orientation.

~Max

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550/1351 "2023-01-07T06:40:38Z")

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> [@Max\_S](#):
>
> You guys misunderstand **octopus**.

I’m okay with that.

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**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2023, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/octopus-heres-your-own-thread-to-shit-all-over/815550/1352 "2023-01-07T18:30:37Z")

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> [@BigT](#):
>
> You don’t act as if you value any of that. You’re constantly attacking us. And I don’t mean counterarguments, as those are rare. I mean saying we’re all part of hive, telling us we’re bad, and so on. And I mean just your basic trolling-behavior, of clearly taking joy in making people upset at you.
> 
> Just because you’re here doesn’t mean you’re not self-segregating, treating everyone else as this uniform other to be defeated, not ideas worth considering, and alienating everyone else.
> 
> It frankly seems more like we’re your two minutes of hate than people you actually consider to have valuable opinions on things.

I agree with this.

> [@octopus](#):
>
> I think the biggest danger to classically liberal democracy is the increasing ideological self segregation.

I also agree with this.

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