Again, do you really think these sorts of questions are clever? I mean, has anyone ever said to you, either online or in real life, that you just nailed them with your rhetorical questions?
Of course, by your standards, it doesn’t count if it was done online, so maybe you should restrict your answers to meatspace experiences only.
I am asking you what your opinion is on people repeatedly calling someone “BigTard” on this message board and whether or not you consider it “bullying”
I honestly want to know what your opinion is. If you don’t want to own your opinion, then feel free not to answer.
My opinion on the Pit is that I’ve seen people go too far, and I seem to vaguely recall a few times in which venting/insults directed at a specific poster crossed a certain line, and bannings resulted. But just because someone is frequently insulted in the Pit does not mean that they are being harassed; it also does not mean it is impossible to harass someone on a message board.
Notice I don’t tend to use the vague word “bullying.”
Thank you for stating what you have seen. I do not remember seeing anyone banned for insults in the Pit.
Sure it does. It means they are being cyber bullied in accordance with the law that someone linked to. Repeated use of an electronic medium that causes emotional harm to the victim.
The things I’m referring to, and which again are pretty vague in my memory, had to do with doxxing other posters.
Jesus Christ, talk about selective quoting of what I said. Is there a reason that you deleted half of my statement? Which was, “But just because someone is frequently insulted in the Pit does not mean that they are being harassed; it also does not mean it is impossible to harass someone on a message board.”
If a poster says that things posted in the Pit has caused them emotional harm, I would say that the mods of this board should take a serious look at what was going on. I have zero knowledge one way or another if any member of this board is claiming that the Pit is inflicting emotional harm.
And by the way, just what the hell is your position anymore? You argued over the course of probably a dozen posts or so that it is impossible to harass someone electronically, because the victim can simply ignore the texts or whatnot; and now you’re saying that we all have an obligation to stop anyone from insulting anyone in the Pit.
It sure sounds like you have no coherent position anymore, and your current position is being taken just because you’re annoyed that a few posters here and the law doesn’t agree with you, so you want to tweak someone or turn the tables on us. Are you just trying to annoy people with your 180 degree turn on this matter?
I see. So in your view, the charge of bullying requires the victim to state that he/she is/has been emotionally harmed?
Really? I’m not going to ask the usual question I would ask here of someone who twists words around as a way to escape posting their own opinions on the matter.
My position is thus:
Bully requires the actions be unwanted by the victim
Continually reading electronic communications by a so-called bully shows that the actions are not unwanted, or else the “victim” would just not read the communications
Thus, it’s not bullying
People who THINK that is bullying somehow refuse to see the same exact thing on this message board against some posters in some forums (or fora, whatever). I don’t understand how people who think that a person can be bullied via Facebook, or Text Messages, or a Message Board can remain silent on some of the threads on this board which, in their eyes, is the exact same thing.
Laws that make “cyber-bullying” a crime result from people who want to have laws to protect the feelings of people that result from unforced viewing of messages, posts, web sites. I disagree with that. I disagree that we should legislate against “Hurting someone’s feelings”
That clear it up for you?
Now what’s your position? Can someone be bullied on a message board? If you believe that, then go into the Pit and tell people to stop bullying others. If you don’t believe it, then we agree. If you believe it, and you don’t try to stop the “bullying” that you think is going on here, then you are a hypocrite.
Or they just don’t feel it’s their job to go out there and be like Spider-Man or Batman, enforcing the law without being paid agents of law enforcement.
But this provides a good opportunity to delineate an area where you and I disagree, despite our mutual opposition to this prosecution and conviction. I believe someone can be bullied on a message board. I just don’t believe those non-“sticks and stones” forms of bullying should be illegal (in a criminal sense; certainly they can be against school rules and such).
Another area where we may disagree is that you seem to believe it would be legitimate to pass a law that made urging someone to take their own life illegal. I believe that would be unconstitutional based on W. Virginia v. Barnette (excerpts of which opinion I posted upthread) and probably other precedents as well.
It requires they BE emotionally harmed. Stating it is not proof of harm, but it is a starting point. Like saying “I’ve been robbed!” is not proof of a felony but a good starting point for an investigation.
Because not all insults constitute bullying or harassment. Just like how not all fucking is rape.
Yes, someone can be bullied on a message board. But not all insults are bullying. I think the mods here do a fine job in keeping things clear of that line. If there are incidents of bullying that I’m not aware of that are going on, then I plead ignorance.
Making some real god damn progress in this thread now.
You, earlier:
Cuz I’m not the fucking internet police.
I’m not sure what point you think you made there. Of course, physical bullying is a thing that should be controlled. Words on a message board that can be ignored? No.
How would you know they were emotionally harmed unless they stated it? Guessing?
I see. So you don’t actually care about what you consider bullying, you just want to argue a point that you think other people on this message board want to hear. Good for you!
I’m a billionaire with an IQ of 267. I stated it, so now you know.
That’s great! Strange that a billionaire with an IQ of 267 would be hanging around the Straight Dope message boards instead of doing hookers and blow or whatever. Thanks for educating the teeming millions!
Not so much “enforcing” the law, but at least calling it out when they see it.
Then we must have different definitions of “bullying” I tried to get people to state what they thought bullying was. That is why. Hard to have a conversation about bullying without agreeing on what bullying is.
I don’t think that would be legitimate, actually. It was my response to a poster who thought someone who only sent text messages to someone deserved the death penalty.
Yeah, you really got ripped off with that $10 donation I promised. Coulda held out for more.
So back to the nonsense, who on the Straight Dope has claimed that they have suffered emotional harm as a result of the Pit?
Who knows? I don’t care. But it seems you do. Did the kid from the original story claim he suffered emotional harm? Is that a requirement in your eyes for something to be considered bullying?
(aside from the discussion) If you actually did that (and I am not accusing you of NOT doing it), then you are a pretty good person. Thanks!
I will claim it right now. But obviously I don’t think anyone should be prosecuted for it. They have, I strongly believe, the constitutional right to inflict emotional pain on me with their repeated electronic messages.