# What is your problem, Chronos? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 3, 2025, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519 "2025-11-03T03:41:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2025, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/101 "2025-11-06T19:03:40Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > But then they each occasionally post on things I know and understand extremely well. A smaller set than what I don’t know much about to be sure! They sound equally as confident. But, well … in those cases … sometimes … the confidence has been unearned. (I don’t have ready examples, sorry.) I feel the same way. But we probably all do that sometimes. **Stranger** has the uncanny ability to say what I meant to say more eloquently and convincingly than I could say it, so I generally have high confidence in all the posts where he agrees with me… But in areas where I have a fair bit of knowledge, sometimes I think, “Well, that’s not wrong, exactly, but it’s a bit of an oversimplification.” But what else could you expect from someone with a super high degree of general knowledge? I have an uncle like this. Easily the smartest person I know. At least once every time I see him, I think, “Jesus, it’s a good thing I agree with you, because you would be a massive pain in the ass if I didn’t.” He went through a Libertarian phase. You can imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2025, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/102 "2025-11-06T19:16:48Z")
This should be the semi-official T-shirt for the Straight Dope. (Sterling Archer: I have neither the time nor the crayons to explain this to you.) [https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008511302323.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.2a2ea02b3oMi43&browser\_id=d6614291dbfc4998995a570c963919cc&aff\_platform=msite&m\_page\_id=licsirlacaunfrxa19a5a9877281cda736273a8dfd&gclid=&pdp\_ext\_f={"order"%3A"1"%2C"eval"%3A"1"%2C"fromPage"%3A"search"}&pdp\_npi=6%40dis!CAD!14.98!13.48!!!74.00!66.60!%402101eecd17624565327576384e3723!12000045489579511!sea!CA!6218100806!X!1!0!n\_tag%3A-29919%3Bd%3Aec4e3c6c%3Bm03\_new\_user%3A-29895&algo\_pvid=7c5c1715-6d45-44b6-bc1a-8d2f9a945045](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008511302323.html?spm=a2g0n.productlist.0.0.2a2ea02b3oMi43&browser_id=d6614291dbfc4998995a570c963919cc&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=licsirlacaunfrxa19a5a9877281cda736273a8dfd&gclid=&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%221%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%2C%22fromPage%22%3A%22search%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21CAD%2114.98%2113.48%21%21%2174.00%2166.60%21%402101eecd17624565327576384e3723%2112000045489579511%21sea%21CA%216218100806%21X%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29919%3Bd%3Aec4e3c6c%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895&algo_pvid=7c5c1715-6d45-44b6-bc1a-8d2f9a945045) ---
**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:** [November 6, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/103 "2025-11-06T21:16:40Z")
[![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51pOckgnUCL.jpg) ](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51pOckgnUCL.jpg) ---
**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:** [November 6, 2025, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/104 "2025-11-06T21:27:14Z")
Archer: Hey, Cecil! Cecil! Cecil! CEEECILLL!!! Cecil: WHAT!? ---
**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:** [November 6, 2025, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/105 "2025-11-06T21:28:20Z")
I think the SDMB has more than its share of Kriegers honestly. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/106 "2025-11-06T21:50:38Z")
Well, that’s clones for you, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/107 "2025-11-07T03:00:03Z")
There is an awful lot of Rush Hate. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/108 "2025-11-07T05:45:44Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > But then they each occasionally post on things I know and understand extremely well. A smaller set than what I don’t know much about to be sure! They sound equally as confident. But, well … in those cases … sometimes … the confidence has been unearned. Yeah, Blake was worse about that, but it’s the same vein. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/109 "2025-11-07T20:14:15Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > **Stranger** has the uncanny ability to say what I meant to say more eloquently and convincingly than I could say it, You underestimate yourself and IMHO that is an inaccurate statement. > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > But what else could you expect from someone with a super high degree of general knowledge? Self awareness. Knowing enough to know that they are not sure. Calibrated self doubt. I have had the great pleasure of being around some very intelligent people and mostly the most intelligent have the self confidence to share when they are not so sure about what they know. As a result when they say they know something is the case I can accept it and ask only to figure out what I had missed or was ignorant of. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/110 "2025-11-07T21:53:10Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > Yeah, Blake was worse about that, but it’s the same vein. Oh, I don’t know, I kind of enjoyed reading Blake’s post, [stubborn though they sometimes were.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-determines-how-much-livestock-gets-raised-killed/333118/57) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/111 "2025-11-08T00:45:57Z")
I’d buy one of those mugs if it were under $20 but Amazon Canada wants $47… ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/112 "2025-11-09T20:29:00Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > > > But what else could you expect from someone with a super high degree of general knowledge? > > Self awareness. Knowing enough to know that they are not sure. Calibrated self doubt. I have had the great pleasure of being around some very intelligent people and mostly the most intelligent have the self confidence to share when they are not so sure about what they know. As a result when they say they know something is the case I can accept it and ask only to figure out what I had missed or was ignorant of. Indeed. In the past I’ve had the privilege of speaking with some very bright researchers at places like the Palo Alto Research Center back when it was Xerox PARC, at the Stanford AI Lab (SAIL), at MIT, and at other notable venues, and one of the hallmarks of most of these people is that they treat others as equals, listen to what they have to say and react to questions and criticism with informative responses rather than raging hostility. There are of course exceptions because we’re dealing with humans, but a respectful attitude is the norm. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2025, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/113 "2025-11-11T07:08:38Z")
My take on the brouhaha in question is that I agree that @Chronos came across as being fairly snarky in his reply in the linked thread (which he seems to be in the habit of doing, especially when it comes to @Stranger_On_A_Train). And @Stranger_On_A_Train is coming across a little thin-skinned (which may well be understandable if @Chronos is always nitpicking him). > [@hajario](#): > > Both of them are very smart with a broad knowledge and explain things very well. Typically. Both of them get things very wrong on occasion and dig in when called out on it by actual experts on the subject. Peas in a pod and valuable members of the board. I agree with this, minus the “very” in the third sentence—and would add that both posters are not just valuable members of the this board, but extremely valuable members. > [@FluffyBob](#): > > I have always appreciated the contribution of both of these prolific posters. > [@Reply](#): > > I have a lot of respect for both @Stranger_On_A_Train and @Chronos, and usually look forward to both their posts, even if (or maybe especially when?) they disagree on the facts and maths of a matter. It’s that sort of substantive, factual back-and-forth that makes the SDMB special. > [@Atamasama](#): > > Chronos and Stranger are both awesome… > [@puzzlegal](#): > > And i really enjoy posts from both Chronos and Stranger… > [@scudsucker](#): > > I enjoy @Stranger_On_A_Train posts. He may be a little verbose but he is undeniably intelligent and well versed in a number of subjects. > > I have learned many things; and, after all, are we not here to fight ignorance? …and I hope both posters come away from this realizing that a lot of people do greatly value them and their contributions to the board. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/114 "2025-11-11T20:11:52Z")
I wonder if this dispute is a side effect of positions about Elon Musk. Stranger is quite hostile and skeptical toward Musk, while Chronos seems an uncritical apologist. I recall seeing some thorny exchanges between them on that subject in the past. Musk fans tend to be every bit as as sensitive, irritable, and grudge-holding as Musk himself, so I wonder if that’s where some of the smoldering animus comes from. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/115 "2025-11-11T20:44:44Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > …while Chronos seems an uncritical apologist. Pretty sure you’ve got him confused with someone else: > [@Is Elon Musk cool?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-elon-musk-cool/1020491/18): > > Musk has as much coolness as money can buy. > > Unfortunately for him, that amount is zero. > [@I don't know how to think of SpaceX anymore](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-dont-know-how-to-think-of-spacex-anymore/1010167/5): > > The best I can figure is that he used to be a business genius, and put actual control of SpaceX and Tesla in the hands of highly-competent people who are responsible for those companies’ continued success, and then suffered some form of brain damage that took away that gift, and so now he’s a crazy man with crazy ideas who’s destroying everything new he touches. > [@What is the best possible non-insane/non-evil explanation for Trump's efforts so far?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-possible-non-insane-non-evil-explanation-for-trumps-efforts-so-far/1014420/16): > > The fact that we want to get the Muskoviets out of government is precisely what possesses a US citizen to post a thread like this. Yeah, Trump is evil, but not all of his supporters are. If we’re ever to hope to get him and his party out of power, we need to understand what his non-evil supporters are thinking, so that we can convince them otherwise. ---
**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:** [November 11, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/116 "2025-11-11T20:45:44Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Musk fans tend to be every bit as as sensitive, irritable, and grudge-holding as Musk himself, so I wonder if that’s where some of the smoldering animus comes from. You’re talking about _this_ @Chronos? > [@Is Elon Musk cool?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-elon-musk-cool/1020491/18): > > Musk has as much coolness as money can buy. > > Unfortunately for him, that amount is zero. Eta: ninja’d ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/117 "2025-11-11T21:08:49Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Pretty sure you’ve got him confused with someone else: My impression also is that **Stranger** is the more neutral one when it comes to Musk. I don’t recall them being particularly hostile towards Musk. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2025, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/118 "2025-11-11T21:11:00Z")
They’ve both shown antipathy towards Musk. Maybe thinking of Dr Strangelove? ---
**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:** [November 11, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/119 "2025-11-11T21:15:29Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > My impression also is that **Stranger** is the more neutral one when it comes to Musk. I don’t recall them being particularly hostile towards Musk. Nope: > [@What would Musk actually do with the five bullet points from 2 million workers?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-musk-actually-do-with-the-five-bullet-points-from-2-million-workers/1014920/24): > > Although many people are still fully bought into the self-perpetuated myth of Musk’s “genius”, the reality is that he is of very mean intelligence but possessed with an ability to get people to buy into his ‘visions’ even when they are completely moronic; witness all of the people here and elsewhere who justify his brilliance and proclaim his beneficence regarding concepts like the Hyperloop, his “Boring Company”, point-to-point suborbital transportation using ‘Starship’, near-term colonization on Mars, et cetera despite obvious and demonstrable hurdles with all of these notions. He has still never made good on a pledge to end famine, and he’s never rescued anyone or owned up to how his bad management style has ruined lives or how his shoddy cars have killed people. > [@Now that Elon Musk has bought Twitter - now the Pit edition (Part 2)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/now-that-elon-musk-has-bought-twitter-now-the-pit-edition-part-2/1005634/12): > > Meanwhile…invest in Dogecoin! It’s definitely not a pump & dump scheme! > [@Trump helping Musk in business](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-helping-musk-in-business/1014544/5): > > This is totally not a conflict of interest as [Elon Musk has assured us that he will withdraw himself from any potential conflict](https://fortune.com/2025/02/06/elon-musk-conflicts-interest-doge-tesla-spacex/). You trust Elon Musk, right? [Look at this innocent face!](https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/elon-musk-RS-1800.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1800px%2C1014px&resize=1600%2C900) > > Stranger > [@Is this real? Musk in the oval office?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-real-musk-in-the-oval-office/1014202/5): > > Elon Musk incoherently lecturing about his philosophy of civics and “the will of the people”, talking about decorum while wearing an “Occupy Mars” tshirt and a ‘Dark MAGA’ trucker hat, and his idiot spawn goobering in the Oval Office may be the least absurd thing there to be reported from there in at least a week. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519/120 "2025-11-11T21:40:29Z")
Hmmm. I thought he was the fanboy in the Tesla threads, but I’m clearly thinking of someone else. ETA: Maybe it was **Strangelove** then. Darn my age addled brain and near names. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-problem-chronos/1024519.md?page=7)