# Term for a certain type of poster? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 7, 2023, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408 "2023-02-07T01:33:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408/1 "2023-02-07T01:33:54Z")
Someone who says offensive things and decides whether or not they are joking based on the reactions of those who respond - _Schrödinger’s Asshole_. What do y’all think, and does anyone in particular come to mind? ---
**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:** [February 7, 2023, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408/2 "2023-02-07T02:25:32Z")
I honestly can’t think of any examples on these boards. (Though that means [I’m the person who does this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk2ihMoxelM), right?) I have experienced this in real life, though. I have met people who said very homophobic or racist things, and when I started to object they insisted they were kidding. In particular, I once started a job, and on the first day someone started to talk about how “the brothers” (his code word for Black people) always “smelled bad”. I casually showed him a picture of my fiancee at the time, who was Black. He quickly assured me he was just kidding, and it was a bad joke. And never said anything racist again. We got along okay, I mean, I worked with him for months, but I never forgot that. It was disturbing to work with a nice guy who was otherwise a fantastic coworker, but I knew he was a racist. But no, I can’t think of anyone on the boards here like that. Usually when people are offensive they own it. Not just own it, they double down on it. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408/3 "2023-02-07T03:05:47Z")
Reminds me of a certain disgraced ex-President, but not of any particular SDMB posters offhand. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408/4 "2023-02-07T04:48:23Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > We got along okay, I mean, I worked with him for months, but I never forgot that. It was disturbing to work with a nice guy who was otherwise a fantastic coworker, but I knew he was a racist. Sorry for such an early hijack, but I once said stupid things like that, when I was a kid. I just didn’t know any Black people, my father was casually racist, and I didn’t think of Black people as just people. I don’t think I was a bad person, just ignorant. I got over it as I grew up, and maybe your former co-worker will too. (Yes, he should have already been grown up, but it takes longer for some people.) ---
**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:** [February 7, 2023, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408/5 "2023-02-07T04:52:11Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I got over it as I grew up, and maybe your former co-worker will too. (Yes, he should have already been grown up, but it takes longer for some people.) Maybe, I hope so. I think he was in his 20s as I was. I mean, I had an ignorant perspective on homosexuality growing up. And I also was insulated from the very existence of trans people, so when I first heard of the whole idea I thought it was a fad or people making it up. Then I got to know trans people and came to understand somewhat the stuff they went through. I guess to my credit, I was ignorant of things but not **willfully** ignorant. ---
**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 7, 2023, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408/6 "2023-02-07T05:39:09Z")
Sounds vaguely like the [Bailey-and-Motte description.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motte-and-bailey_fallacy) Say something that has two meanings - a reasonable meaning, and an outrage-provoking meaning. When people take it to be the latter, these posters then pretend they only meant the former. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408/7 "2023-02-07T21:27:16Z")
A Krusty? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VYHGnsOwHvI/maxresdefault.jpg "Its a JOKE - Krusty") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYHGnsOwHvI) ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/term-for-a-certain-type-of-poster/979408/8 "2023-02-08T19:43:21Z")
I’ve been calling this type “Schrodinger’s Douchebag”. Used it frequently in the last months to refer to my kiddo’s (thankfully) now ex. Quoting myself from a December MMP: _Daughter is still embroiled in drama with Schrodinger’s Douchebag. It’s like her boyfriend demonstrates quantum super-positioning by simultaneously occupying the role of responsible, nice military pilot for us, and drunken asshole bad-ass around his friends. When observed by either group, the waveform collapses and he immediately occupies whichever role is more suitable at the moment. Or maybe he’s just a typical young male – I dunno. But it’s starting to piss me off._