# What were you THINKING?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [October 13, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532 "2023-10-13T19:36:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2750

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**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2024, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/2750 "2024-06-07T18:39:15Z")

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I promised myself I’d sleep on this, and here we are, so it’s time to have a talk with you @Velocity.

I’m going to start with the recent, and specific, and then talk about trends:

> [@What "favorite book" would cause you to walk away from someone?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/16):
>
> I wouldn’t assume someone reading Mein Kampf is a Nazi; indeed, there are plenty of good reasons for an anti-Nazi person to be reading it. You can consider a book a favorite even if you oppose it - in a “fascinating in that it shows how bad people think” way.

Now, come on. There had been plenty of people who had posted well-hedged considerations of controversial choices, including the bible. And _yes_, there are people who study it, because they oppose it, but your last assertation, that “You can consider a book a favorite even if you oppose it” is edgelord level cringe. No, you don’t. You consider it valuable, _important_ even, but no rational, honest person is going to report it as their favorite. And IF (in an infinite universe of monkeys with typewriter creating Shakespeare sort of way) they did, then you’re right back to the whole point of the thread cited:

> [@What "favorite book" would cause you to walk away from someone?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-favorite-book-would-cause-you-to-walk-away-from-someone/1002567/1):
>
> The subject of “favorite books” comes up, someone says (book title) is their favorite book, and the answer causes you to walk away from them. What _one_ book, (_no lists PLEASE_) would it be?

Someone is likely experiencing some mental issue on par with Stockholm syndrome at that point, and you should walk away. And thank the FSM that @What_Exit rightly smacked you down for the probably hijack!

Now to the general. Look, most of us like attention, being seen as smart, or rational, or having the ability to look beyond surface level or popular arguments. But this has been a trend with you, helicopter into a thread, post something edge and provocative (and DON’T get me started on some of your Polls in the polls only thread) and watch everyone scurry about to call out your shit. It can be fun to stir up a conversation.

But overall (and fully IMHO of course), you’ve been moving past “provocative” into “provocateur”. One is useful, especially with foresight, good information, and moderation. The second, well, we have another word for it on the SDMB when it becomes a pattern.

I don’t think you’re there _yet_, which is why we’re in this thread. And others are free to agree or defend you. But I want you consider how the specific post I cited and linked ties into the trends that I at least am seeing.

Lecture over.

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