# Why so many socks/trocks?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-socks-trocks/988871>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [August 21, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-socks-trocks/988871 "2023-08-21T17:21:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 58

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-many-socks-trocks/988871/58 "2023-08-31T20:35:17Z")

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> [@TroutMan](#):
>
> Post your guess before reading: there is one thread attacking another poster, one additional thread that is not about a specific poster but has a lot of vitriol directed at them, and one where we try to identity socks and trolls. The rest are ranting about external things, with some very fun and even informative conversations happening.

Even if there was one, it would be one too many.

For example here we have [Severe Hijack, about US borders, moved to pit - #311 by The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/severe-hijack-about-us-borders-moved-to-pit/988949/311)

which started out (as a total hijack, admittedly) as a couple of us trying to gently educate a poster about undocumented aliens. Once moved to the PIT, it turned into a hate and attack fest on that poster. People do not change behaviors because they are called names. People MIGHT change after being educated. Okay, not very often, but maybe others who read the thread.

And no, the “troll” thread is not "_where we try to identity socks and trolls._ " its where posters call other posters troll for posts they disagree with. It is the job of the Mods to ID socks and trolls. If you want to help them, they say they appreciate you flagging the post. Sure, the thread has IDed a couple before the Mods gave announcements, but a couple out of nearly 6000 posts means it is mostly there for name calling.

Yeah, the minirants are great. But you do not need the ability to call posters names to make a good rant about life, etc.

But you are right, The Pit could exist and do well without the personal insults and schoolyard name calling. So why not get rid of that aspect? why is it needed?

> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> I just ranted in the pit about my health insurance, and got some helpful replies. I suppose i could have ranted elsewhere, but i prefer the style of the pit for that kind of thread.

Absolutely. But did we need the ability to _insult other posters_ in order to get your point across? Most Pit thread dont.

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