# Talk about avoiding reality. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 9, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615 "2012-06-09T13:57:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [June 10, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/21 "2012-06-10T00:13:10Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > bucket of cunts I was going to say “band name”, then I realized there had to be a punk band _somewhere_ that beat me to it.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/22 "2012-06-10T00:17:27Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Goddamn it. Now what am I supposed to do with this bucket of poo? :dubious: Hang it in your office. Most people will assume it’s a liberal arts degree. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/23 "2012-06-10T01:15:32Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > What is happening to him can happen to any of us, and will happen to some of us. Personally, I find that chilling, and the inspiration of watching him fight the good fight outweighs any annoyance I feel at his posts by a factor of about a bajillion, give or take. I’m watching it happen to my grandma right now. And one thing I’ve noticed is this: when she’s having a good day/hour and realizes she’s been behaving inappropriately, it agitates her. A _lot_. And agitation tends to fog her up again and make her even worse than before. If Quasi is having periods when he’s lucid enough to realize that he’s being irrational and assholish, and that’s upsetting him the way it does Grandma, then posting here is probably not in his best interest right now. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/24 "2012-06-10T02:37:39Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Now I’m curious - I wasn’t exactly keeping track of Quasimodem’s behaviour, or even taking any particular note that there _was_ a Quasimodem, so what are some of his more outrageous posts? > > Anyone who feels I’ve missed the point of this thread by asking is free not to respond. People have been referring to [this thread about Google not having a D-Day doodle](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=654316), where **Quasimodem** felt it was disrespectful and many others disagreed. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/25 "2012-06-10T02:52:55Z")
2011: Plugs his blog in violation of Board rules: > **[My Werewolf Blog Entry Is Up, Y'all!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=629801)** > > www.wheretobud.blogspot.com Where Wolf? Enjoy! Q then calls **twickster** a bitch in ATMB for closing the thread: > **[Jesus, Twickster!](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=629805)** > > I forgot about your hostility, and you apparently forgot about the fact my enthusiasm gets me carried away sometimes. Your asinine reply to my pm “What about it?” And you wrote that back to me in a pm!!! Want me to show it??? This ought to carry... ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/26 "2012-06-10T02:57:51Z")
I thought that merited an award around these here parts. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/27 "2012-06-10T03:38:59Z")
Sorry about the bad link and posting and running but this is exactly what I was thinking and it’s why I think that the defenders are doing more harm than anyone insulting **Quasi**. > [@CrazyCatLady](#): > > I’m watching it happen to my grandma right now. And one thing I’ve noticed is this: when she’s having a good day/hour and realizes she’s been behaving inappropriately, it agitates her. A _lot_. And agitation tends to fog her up again and make her even worse than before. If Quasi is having periods when he’s lucid enough to realize that he’s being irrational and assholish, and that’s upsetting him the way it does Grandma, then posting here is probably not in his best interest right now. He seems to have, in his vacation post, had one of those moments of lucidity and taken a step away and while most of the very supportive and pleasant responses supported that decision some of them seemed to me to be encouraging him to stay and be protected. That seemed shortsighted and potentially hurtful. You can’t wrap the entire board in cotton wool in case **Quasi** runs into a corner. It’s unrealistic. I like the guy, I hope he gets as much out of his life as possible before his condition deteriorates and to do so we here, particularly the mods but posters too, need to be able to recognize when being here is doing more harm than good. I hope they’ve considered some technological solutions to his situation, perhaps limiting him to a subset of forums. I recognize that this would be a special circumstance but I think he’s been around long enough to deserve that consideration. It may not be time yet, but I hope they’re thinking about it now so when it is time they’re ready. I think the threads that **Hello Again** linked to show that it’s something they need to be considering. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/28 "2012-06-10T03:52:56Z")
Quite frankly, did you ever consider this might be his way of saying he feels that he might not be able to stick around much longer, but doesn’t want the whole, “ooooh, stay, please don’t go?” Or maybe he’s afraid of people treating him like he’s a little kid, and coddling him, and he wants to avoid that. **Quasi** , if you’re reading this, and I’m wrong, please don’t take offense. You’re a cool guy, and I like you. Just throwing things out there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/29 "2012-06-10T04:02:26Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Quite frankly, did you ever consider this might be his way of saying he feels that he might not be able to stick around much longer, but doesn’t want the whole, “ooooh, stay, please don’t go?” Or maybe he’s afraid of people treating him like he’s a little kid, and coddling him, and he wants to avoid that. The feeling I get is that Quasi won’t be back. I hope I’m wrong, but I think the day we all knew was coming has arrived. I think it happened a little sooner than it had too, egged along by a couple of assholes with nothing better to do, and that makes me angry. Very angry. Quasi is facing my ultimate nightmare. The one thing that absolutely, positively terrifies Big Bad Oak. He’s done it with courage, humor…and most of all, honor. He’s a better man than I am, and I’ll miss him. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/30 "2012-06-10T04:21:16Z")
With all due respect, **Oakminster** , that’s bullshit. To be quite blunt, **Quasi** gave as good as he got – it wasn’t, “oh, poor me, pity me.” It’s not the first time he got into a Pit thread. And he acted just like the rest of us do! **Quasi** said he didn’t want _any_ special treatment. If that means coming into the Pit and getting into fights with everyone else, well, that’s what happens. To do otherwise I think would be insulting to the poor guy. He himself was pissed when he thought the admins were checking his posts to see if they were okay before posting. Old people, people with Alzheimers are people too. They’re not fragile children, and shouldn’t be treated as such. To do so is to be an even bigger asshole, if you ask me. I hope **Quasi** takes what time he has to spend with Dondra and his stepkids, their cats, etc. (And yeah, I hear ya – it’s fucking scary. I gotta give him mad props – I’d be freaking out all over the place) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/31 "2012-06-10T05:42:37Z")
There’s a good chance I’ll end up with Alzheimer’s, and it’s been very instructional watching \*Quasi’\*s interactions here (and, believe me, I think I’ve read every word of his). I hope I can keep posting here well into my ‘dotage’, but I think I’ll write some code that makes me do a math problem before I can click “Post”. So if I “flame on” like _Q_ was wont to, I’ll have to wait til I’m on an even keel before I unleash it. At which point I won’t. But I’m on the side of “Don’t treat him like a fragile doll”. Even if the goal is to not make him mad, it wouldn’t work anyhow. I could link to a dozen times he accused people of threadshitting or “poisoning” a thread with innocent, even supportive comments. For instance, the “IANAShrink” thread, where he then announced he was “outta here” a number of times. So I hope he comes back when he’s doing better and can take it (hey, I can be naïvely hopeful, no?). ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/32 "2012-06-10T06:49:01Z")
So there are two kids on a playground. One is in a wheelchair, and the other is a normal able-bodied kid. The one in the wheelchair is a real little shit. Constantly mouthing off, rolling over people’s toes, throwing dodgeballs at people during recess, etc. God what a a little fuck. So one day, in response to one of these little acts of assholery, the able bodied kid just punches him in the face. The wheelchair falls over and the little shit starts flopping around on the ground, throwing whatever little rocks and things he can get his hands on at the other kid. A foul stream of curses accompanies the rocks. This further angers the able bodied young man so he starts kicking the paraplegic. Eventually the fight is broken up. And the able bodied kid is now the kid who beat up the kid in the wheelchair. Sure there was provocation, sure no one would have even remembered the incident if it had occurred between two able bodied kids, especially if one of them was an angry little shit like the wheelchair bound kid was. But the other kid is still the guy who beat up the kid in the wheelchair. Discretion remains the better part of valor. The little shit may have deserved it, may have asked for, nay been begging for it. But the victor is still the kid who beat up the kid in the wheelchair. There’s no upside to beating up a kid in a wheelchair. It’s a failure of imagination. A failure to subdue your own ego long enough to walk away or find another resolution. It’s unnecessary. It’s never the only reasonable course of action. While it may be rationalized, it’s _never_ **necessary**. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/33 "2012-06-10T06:56:51Z")
Do you get a deal on sanctimony when you get it in bulk, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/34 "2012-06-10T07:13:27Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Do you get a deal on sanctimony when you get it in bulk, or what? He got a 80 lb. barrel of it at Costco for just $25.00 but before he could load it into his car some pissed off kid in a wheelchair lit after him across the parking lot and ran over his foot. He’s right though. They should have taken the high road in this particular situation and they came across as complete asshats for not doing so despite whatever provocation, justifiable or not. But it seems to be everyone else making a big deal out of it. In its simplest form, an argument caused tempers to flare, names to be called, and a poster decided to take a breather from posting and recombobulate. That’s it. It happens all the time, some even ask to be banned temporarily to avoid any temptation. I’m sure he will be back in time. Hopefully people advocating for him won’t make it harder to return with a bunch of well-meaning but counterproductive drama. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/35 "2012-06-10T10:12:55Z")
I’ve watched **Quasi** from afar for awhile now. I think the board is hindering his ability to deal with his everyday life. One of the best things you can do for a patient with dementia is to orient them to everyday life. I don’t see how that is even possible for a message board to do. For his own good, let him go. And if he comes back, please, tell him to go back home. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/36 "2012-06-10T10:28:36Z")
Geez, how fucking hard is it to cut a guy with Alzheimers a little slack? If anything, I’m in favor of cutting other posters with personality orders slack, not hoisting **Quasi** over the coals. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/37 "2012-06-10T10:40:37Z")
The assholes who knew about **Quasi** ’s condition could have ignored him. Instead they goaded him. I hope I’m alive long enough to see them deteriorate so I can laugh at them. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/38 "2012-06-10T10:54:45Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Geez, how fucking hard is it to cut a guy with Alzheimers a little slack? If anything, I’m in favor of cutting other posters with personality orders slack, not hoisting **Quasi** over the coals. “cutting him some slack” may do more harm than good. I get the sympathy, but “cutting him some slack” hurts him more than it helps. The guy has alzeimers dementia. He is starting to lose social skills. Do you really think an internet message board is the tool he should use to retain his social skills? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/39 "2012-06-10T11:01:39Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > “cutting him some slack” may do more harm than good. I get the sympathy, but “cutting him some slack” hurts him more than it helps. The guy has alzeimers dementia. He is starting to lose social skills. > > Do you really think an internet message board is the tool he should use to retain his social skills? What the fuck kind of harm is it going to do him? Or you? Nothing is going to preserve his social skills over time. Sadly, your own brain won’t deteriorate any further, so you will never even be a source of amusement. If **Quasi** gets banned, that’s his own doing. But no one is justified in piling on when you know the reason for his actions. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615/40 "2012-06-10T11:02:38Z")
If he’s on the board all the time, then it’s as unhealthy for him as it would be for anyone. If it’s something he occasionally enjoys and _it’s not detrimental to him_, then I for one am fine if he is in a special area in regards to the rules. Whether this place is good for him or not is not something I feel qualified to remark on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-about-avoiding-reality/624615.md?page=3)