Trolling in the Pit

About This Message Board
81

I just happened upon this thread and I’m glad I did. I’m really baffled by this constant accusation of trolling. I assure you, I have better things to do than to post in order to try to get a rise out of people or something like that. You can believe me or not, but I always post in good faith and present what I actually believe.

In reading this thread it it appears that, for some posters, they 1) cannot fathom that I might hold a position that I do, and 2) cannot fathom how my mind is not changed by their back and forth. And I guess that turns into “trolling”.

I think one thing that makes it easy for some posters to wind up there is the degree to which the the SDMB leans left. There is not a lot of conservative representation on the board, and I really don’t mind that, as I prefer engaging in actual debates as opposed to going someplace with a strong conservative bent where it would be all “Biden sucks, Biden sucks, sis boom ba!”, etc.

One thing that doesn’t work in my favour is that since I’m often the minority, or even a lone voice, lot’s of people reply to my posts with questions or comments. Even if respond to half of them, my name is going to pop up a lot more in a thread than other posters. I think that creates an impression that I’m eager for a fight (maybe that feeds into the accusations of trolling), when the way I look at it is that I’m being polite by providing a response. I mean, if I make a comment or ask a question to a poster, I’d like a response.

This blows my mind. It was a joke. Amazing.

You’ve made this point before. Can you explain just what YOU mean by it. Because I’m just not understanding where you’re coming from.

If I’m not debating/discussing honestly, how would you describe what you think I’m doing?

How so?

And it is ironic that you would say this, as many/most of your posts to me are blatantly and intentionally hateful. I’m not complaining about it, just pointing out the irony.

Yup. That’s what it seems like to me.

I couldn’t have said it any better.

I’ll leave it there. Have a nice night.

82

Excluding all definitions, formal and informal, as used by likely 95% of English speakers, other than the one you want to use, and then demanding everyone else adhere to yours, while simultaneously demanding an apology for others using said definition does not strike me as a honest debating tactic.

If you had instead at least acknowledged the other definitions, and said you preferred the one you picked, that would have been disagreeable, but far less dishonest.

And that’s discounting your attempt to hijack an entirely different thread rather than discuss the matter at hand, which, again, speaks of dishonest intent as well.

For the record, as quoted above, I’m not certain what you’re doing should be considered trolling. But you apparently want to ‘win’ your debates by all means, including using tactics which are far from admirable.

83

Do you intend to do any personal reflection here? Maybe consider that if so many people think you’re being disingenuous or arguing in bad faith, maybe you need to change?

84

To be clear, that was my point. I mention in the post that it was a joke. Many forms of trolling involve making jokes.

My issue is that it is a serious topic that everyone else was taking seriously. People were arguing your position is harmful and deadly. And then it wasn’t the joke by itself, but along with the randomly shoehorned in right wing talking points and alt-right conspiracy theories that didn’t really have anything the topic.

I got that it was a joke, but I think that type of joke at that time was inappropriate at best.

85

I thought that the self deprecating nature of the joke made it appropriate. It was not a joke about the topic of the thread.

86

In fact, it had nothing at all to do with the topic of the thread, did it?

87

I’ve been trying to figure it out. Even in this thread, as I’ve asked posters some questions that I hope will be illuminating. Having been down this road before, I really think the majority of this is due to the the board leaning so far one way which that an unpopular view being argued for results in a collective apoplexy sorts. But I’m curious as to what answers I might see.

88

It was a joke, at my expense. A friendly way to say goodbye and maybe even get a smile out of someone. You know, because it was so obviously a joke.

89

I appreciate the tone of the post, but I’m not really understanding why you think I didn’t acknowledge the other definition. Heck, I was arguing against it in favour of the one I presented. And I certainly don’t get how what I posted was in any way “dishonest”.

90

“Only Joking” defence? Check!
“Board Leans Left” defence? Check!
Blatant Sealioning? Check!

Bingo!

92

This is closed, pending the outcome of a discussion in the mod loop.