# Why have conservatives left this message board?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Tags:** trump\
**Created:** [April 14, 2025, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016 "2025-04-14T01:14:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 8

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/141 "2025-04-14T23:21:01Z")

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> [@Aeschines](#):
>
> Sure, there are individual blogs and specialty fora and wikis, but are there any other major “general interest” boards?

Spacebattles and its offshoot Sufficient Velocity arguably come to mind; although they are _technically_ focused on fiction they have very large amounts of general interest topics. Much like SD they grew beyond their original intended purpose; and are larger and more active than the SD at this point, I think.

SV is _much_ less friendly to conservatives than this board however.

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**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/142 "2025-04-14T23:30:23Z")

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> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> Spacebattles and its offshoot Sufficient Velocity arguably come to mind[…]

Thanks, I’ve never heard of those.

If I search on google, it’s Reddit all day long. I’ll sometimes run into stackexchange and some stuff like that. I rarely _rarely_ see a link to the Dope. I will see links to specialty sites, of course.

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**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/143 "2025-04-14T23:32:13Z")

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> [@Atamasama](#):
>
> Frankly, if this _is_ happening, then it’s worthy of an ATMB discussion. I very much doubt it though.

I _did_ go through the issue on an ATMB thread I started, oh, two years ago or so, about wanting the ability to fire back (within reason) at insults within a thread instead of having to squeal to the mods or run to the Pit. I understand your opinion. I disagree, but it’s fine.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/144 "2025-04-14T23:33:49Z")

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> [@Aeschines](#):
>
> Thanks, I’ve never heard of those.

They are _just_ big enough that you’ll sometimes see them get a little mention elsewhere; much like the SD is that way.

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**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/145 "2025-04-14T23:34:34Z")

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Ah, right.

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**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:** [April 14, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/146 "2025-04-14T23:38:05Z")

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> [@Atamasama](#):
>
> And if you report it, that is going to be modded. If “everyone” can understand it, so will the mods. If nobody reported it then you got away with a rules violation.

I’m not arguing whether it’s a rules violation or not, simply that people do it all the time and it often doesn’t get modded because there’s an adequate degree of plausible deniability.

> [@](#):
>
> This isn’t some kind of clever ruse, it’s nothing more than getting away with something.

Not sure I see any meaningful difference here. Semantic nitpicks aside, the point isn’t whether it’s clever, the point is that it happens and it’s not unusual because it’s often not modded. No, I’m not invested enough in this discussion to dig up an example for you, either take the point or don’t.

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**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/147 "2025-04-14T23:42:10Z")

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> [@Aeschines](#):
>
> If I search on google, it’s Reddit all day long. I’ll sometimes run into stackexchange and some stuff like that. I rarely _rarely_ see a link to the Dope. I will see links to specialty sites, of course.

Incidentally, digg has been resurrected and is in a limited beta right now.

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**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/148 "2025-04-14T23:45:59Z")

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> [@John\_DiFool](#):
>
> The main reason I stopped participating in political threads (and have P&E on global ignore) is because trying to engage far-right conservatives as if they were authentic posters helps to justify their legitimacy in their eyes (“Heh I fooled the libs into thinking I am being sincere and honest once again, hahaha!” \>pens more garbage posts ad nauseum\<). The only winning move past a certain point became Not To Play, even if the actual thought process there as such may not have actually reached said level of 2nd tier meta-awareness. The line between Troll and True Believer eventually got rubbed out into nothingness in any event, and either way I simply got too fatigued to continue to give a crap.

what is pretty amazing, and I am saying this with all sincerity, is I feel almost exactly the same way, except it’s with regard to trying to engage in good faith with the _far left posters_. While I lean right of most people on here, I am very much NOT a Trump supporter or even a modern day Republican. I try to post in good faith, maybe not always with flawless reasoning or perfectly thought out ideas, but certainly not trolling anyone. And to be fair, there are certainly poster that will engage with me in good faith, but there are more who, the moment you disagree with them, are more than willing to call you a troll, fascist, etc. I generally steer clear of P&E because of that, it’s just not worth the hassle to me.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/149 "2025-04-14T23:52:13Z")

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> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#):
>
> what is pretty amazing, and I am saying this with all sincerity, is I feel almost exactly the same way, except it’s with regard to trying to engage in good faith with the _far left posters_.

There aren’t any here that I’m aware of. If you think _I’m_ far left then I wonder at how you’d react to the real thing.

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**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/150 "2025-04-14T23:54:10Z")

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well, if we’re being honest, there’s no real far right people here either as far as I know

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**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:** [April 15, 2025, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/151 "2025-04-15T00:02:53Z")

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I think you’re correct. Someone really far to the right would probably only come here to troll and be banned quickly if they even bothered to come at all.

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/152 "2025-04-15T00:03:18Z")

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> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#):
>
> well, if we’re being honest, there’s no real far right people here either as far as I know

They tend to get banned quickly, or hide it as their behavior and opinions are unacceptable in civilized places. And they refuse to tolerate anyone but themselves.

Nazis gonna Nazi.

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**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/153 "2025-04-15T00:40:08Z")

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Interesting. They did what, change their interface and sank overnight back in the year two thousand something something?

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/154 "2025-04-15T00:49:23Z")

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> [@Aeschines](#):
>
> They did what, change their interface and sank overnight back in the year two thousand something something?

[Looking it up](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digg#Redesign_and_mass_exodus_to_Reddit) yes, back in 2010 they redesigned the site in a way that was both very unpopular and buggy, resulting in a mass exodus to Reddit. By 2012 they were down by 90% in traffic.

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**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/155 "2025-04-15T00:54:58Z")

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They burnt it all down and are starting from scratch.

> **[Digg Reboot](https://reboot.digg.com/)**
>
> Digg - The front page of the internet, now with superpowers

I paid $5 for early access because why not. There are about 15k sign-ups so far.

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**Author:** ![natureboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@natureboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/natureboy)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/156 "2025-04-15T01:03:22Z")

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Who cares?

Who cares what people who voluntarily brainwash themselves do with their time?

Conservatives want to believe that their mythologies are correct. They are grounded in divine deontology rather than epistemic truths.

I’m using big words so I can pretend I’m smart or something, but you get my drift. There’s a reason conservatives are often aligned with religious fundamentalists.

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**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/157 "2025-04-15T01:10:35Z")

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An accurate, if somewhat invective-laced , assessment.

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**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/158 "2025-04-15T01:50:23Z")

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Just my IMHO, but it’s very clear by now that the basis for the complaint about the treatment of conservative posters really is that conservative posters just can’t stand that there’s even the slightest bit of pushback to what they post.

> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#):
>
> but there are more who, the moment you disagree with them, are more than willing to call you a troll

And when you report these accusations of trolling what do the mods do?  
Also, why am I certain you’re actually complaining about being called a troll in the ‘troll’ thread in the pit where it’s not, in any way, breaking any rule?

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/159 "2025-04-15T01:52:45Z")

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> [@E-DUB](#):
>
> An accurate, if somewhat invective-laced , assessment.

It wasn’t especially invective laced. It’s just that even the most neutrally worded description of the modern Right _is_ going to be insulting, unless the person giving it outright lies in their favor. Past a certain point “avoiding harsh language” is just dishonesty.

Just like all the mainstream media that “sanewashes” everything Trump does because an honest description would be _impolite._

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**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2025, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-have-conservatives-left-this-message-board/1017016/160 "2025-04-15T05:19:09Z")

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> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> Please explicate the TLA.
> 
> They metabolize carbon, and insist on relying on breathable oxygen to survive. Are you going to characterize those properties as _wrong_?

OTA was the Office of Technology Assessment, linked in Gigo’s post. Gingrich killed it. I doubted whether many conservatives here agreed with Gingrich, but GIGO correctly noted that silence doesn’t apply assent. I had to look up TLA (Three Letter Acronym). Incidentally, I have this website bookmarked, along with a dictionary and thesaurus:

> **[Abbreviations and acronyms dictionary](https://www.acronymfinder.com/)**
>
> Acronym Finder is the largest and most trusted database of over 4 million acronyms and abbreviations. What does an abbreviation stands for? The answer is here

> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> There aren’t any here that I’m aware of. If you think _I’m_ far left then I wonder at how you’d react to the real thing.

@Kropotkin might be far-left of the peaceful anarchist variety, but I’ve never seen a tankie here. Except for one spammer, briefly.

> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> It sounds like projection to me, I get hit with “not-quite-moddable insults” all the time. Just look at this thread, lots of bashing of me here.

Yeah, Der gets hit by more brickbats than any other poster here, many of them potentially modable Thankfully, he hasn’t pushed the issue.

Der almost _always_ attacks conservatives in general: I rarely see him attack individual posters. For a while TPTB raised the civility bar sufficiently to curb his posting in GD, but that’s in the past and the forum is in intensive care anyway.

It’s pretty funny when conservatives complain about Der. I’ve taken to defending Der lately, but I mocked him mercilessly for years (and apologized to him for that a couple of months ago in ATMB).

* * *

“Conservative” has become a tricky term to use. The Democratic Party if transplanted into Europe, Japan, or any other OECD country would be comfortably center-right. Meanwhile some reasonable people in the US self-identify as conservatives, but most of them are either politically unengaged, or reactionaries. One way to tell might be to measure their consumption of Fox News (etc) or the WSJ editorial page.

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