# Pit Trolling And Friendly Crumudgeon **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 23, 2021, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573 "2021-02-23T18:14:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/21 "2021-02-23T19:28:39Z")
Yes, the same behavior. “Those people used words, and those other people used words, too! They are both using words, why are you treating them differently?” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/22 "2021-02-23T19:28:59Z")
Well, I guess you’re going to have to be more diligent in reporting these lies when you see them, but this one was pretty blatant and generated a larger number of flags than any post I’ve seen in my brief time as a mod. It was pretty blatant trolling honestly. The ATMB doubling down really made the decision very easy. In fact without the ATMB thread, he would not have been banned. ---
**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 23, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/23 "2021-02-23T19:30:23Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Oh, please. I’ve provided examples of 100% similarity before. You’ve never posted an example of this type of situation, and you will not begin doing so now. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2021, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/24 "2021-02-23T19:30:59Z")
Yes. That’s my point. It generates flags and mod action based solely on the target. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/25 "2021-02-23T19:31:48Z")
Is something wrong with _your_ flag button? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/26 "2021-02-23T19:33:17Z")
Well, for everyone that likes to skirt the edges of trolling, I guess today’s lesson is don’t double-down in an ATMB thread with an obvious bit of bullshit. Should we enshrine that in bronze or do you think don’t be a jerk already covers it maybe? ---
**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 23, 2021, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/27 "2021-02-23T19:38:00Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Most comparable prior example is [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msnbc-anchor-says-los-angeles-ni-ers-on-air/847225/6). It’s obvious that neither Biden nor this person intended to say a racial slur. But a lot of people out there believed it then (a petition to fire her got 150K supporters), nor did the thread receive any moderator sanction. The video he linked to is no longer available. However, a difference is that he was apparently commenting on a story that was already circulating on the news. I googled to see if the Biden slip was already being publicized. In fact, the first claim I found was posted about 2 hours after **FriendlyCurmudgeon’s** thread. The claim was either something he made up himself or possibly saw on social media. There are only a very few stories now; the slip is mostly being ignored. ---
**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 23, 2021, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/28 "2021-02-23T19:40:05Z")
As frequently noted, it’s pretty hard to get dinged for being offensive in the Pit. The exceptions tend to be covered by other, more specific rules, like the one against hate speech. Getting warned for deliberately lying is slightly more common, but still pretty rare - my default is to believe people when they present themselves as obstinately stupid or deeply unpleasant, unless given pretty strong evidence to the contrary. This is also tempered by not wanting to give warnings to people who are engaging in parody or hyperbole. When I saw **FriendlyCrumudgeons** thread in ATMB, I assumed he was going to try to argue the latter, and maybe point to, say, a post calling Ted Cruz the Zodiac Killer as evidence that what he was doing wasn’t out of bounds. Instead, his defense was, “He did too say the n-word!” Now, I don’t believe for a minute that FC actually believes Joe Biden said the “n-word” in that clip, but if he’d kept it to the Pit, he might have skated. Instead, he brought his act to ATMB, and tried to continue it here. The rules against trolling in ATMB are a lot less ambiguous than the ones in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Falchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Falchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falchion)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/29 "2021-02-23T19:45:43Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Which is part of the point. What Biden said was distinctly different from the n-word. It takes deliberate bad faith to interpret it that way. I have no objection to the moderation; I’m reminded why I don’t read the Pit; and haven’t watched the video, but: There is a curious tension between this view and the fact that multiple posters (between the various threads) jumped in to (falsely) claim that the video had (clearly) been faked. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/30 "2021-02-23T19:47:52Z")
> [@Falchion](#): > > There is a curious tension between this view and the fact that multiple posters (between the various threads) jumped in to (falsely) claim that the video had (clearly) been faked. A mod corrected that poster; we will now see of he doubles down in unrelated ATMB threads, or lets it go ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/31 "2021-02-23T19:48:47Z")
Do we really have to go through The Octopus Show every single time a right wing troll is banned, no matter how obvious? His “Help! Help! I’m being oppressed!” shtick is really getting rather tiresome. In before “hIvE mInD!!!111337H4x0r” ---
**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:** [February 23, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/32 "2021-02-23T19:49:44Z")
Video doesn’t seem fake. It seems obvious Biden says eager after a bit of a stammer. Shouldn’t be newsworthy IMO. However, it definitely is fair game for parody. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/33 "2021-02-23T19:51:25Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Most comparable prior example is [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/msnbc-anchor-says-los-angeles-ni-ers-on-air/847225/6). It’s not comparable at all, unless all you read is the thread title. If you read the full text of the OP and @pool’s subsequent comments, it’s clear that he the title was intended ironically/sarcastically, that he was making the point that he does _not_ think an unintentional slip of the tongue that accidentally resembles a slur should be punished either in this case or in prior cases. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/34 "2021-02-23T19:51:36Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > However, it definitely is fair game for parody. Which has nothing to do with this situation. The banned poster pretty much banned himself. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/35 "2021-02-23T19:52:32Z")
We are stil waiting for any of the dozens of examples of liberal posters getting away with this same behavior that you promised us. Despite, I assume, your use of the report button to flag down a mod. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/36 "2021-02-23T19:53:18Z")
**Modnote** : your post is bordering on insulting. Please do not repeat. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/37 "2021-02-23T19:53:33Z")
Understood. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2021, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/38 "2021-02-23T19:56:06Z")
> [@Falchion](#): > > There is a curious tension between this view and the fact that multiple posters (between the various threads) jumped in to (falsely) claim that the video had (clearly) been faked. No, there’s really nothing “curious” at all. Is there any reason to believe that those posters who mistakenly thought the video was faked were _deliberately_ lying for the purpose of _trolling_? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2021, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/39 "2021-02-23T19:58:36Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Is there any reason to believe that those posters who mistakenly thought the video was faked were _deliberately_ lying for the purpose of _trolling_? If we were to apply the rules, technically, there’s no difference. > [@](#): > > you will not use the SDMB to post any material that you know or **should** know is false The “should” part would mean that the posters _should_ have known that the video was legit and not faked. But I digress. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2021, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573/40 "2021-02-23T20:01:55Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Oh, please. I’ve provided examples of 100% similarity before. In this thread? Should be trivial to link to, then. > [@octopus](#): > > That’s a farcical demand No, it isn’t. Asking you to back up your statement with examples is not farcical. Your not actually having any examples, as seems clear, would be, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pit-trolling-and-friendly-crumudgeon/933573.md?page=3)