# Yes. When YOU do it, it's still persecution. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 15, 2014, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162 "2014-04-15T09:06:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/161 "2014-04-23T23:33:37Z")
Well, ain’t you a pair. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/162 "2014-04-23T23:56:15Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But I’d also like to be able to have an actual conversation with you, about something other than, well, you. Anyone can have a private conversation, anytime they want. Does what you want to talk about require a public display? Popular, ad hominem “logic” is like a hurricane and I have a special affinity for hurricanes - and since some of the best \*\*\*new \*\*\*stuff comes from examining the self…it’s basically all gravy. As I said, I’m not picky about the source of a new line of thought so, if my responding to personal remarks is perceived as…I don’t know…disruptive(?) and gets me banned, why would it matter? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/163 "2014-04-24T10:38:14Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > The problem with your assessment is that followers haven’t the slightest idea \*\*\*what \*\*\*non-followers are doing, or why. The perspectives, intentions and goals are completely different. A non-follower’s perspective doesn’t even match any other non-follower’s perspective. We’re not a posse - we don’t travel in “packs” - our interests and perspectives are diverse. Sometimes wildly so. Define the terms “follower” and “non-follower”, as you understand them. > [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > There’s a perfectly logical and ridiculously easy way to escape the annoyance that the existence of non-followers inspires - all you have to do is ignore that little corner of the human race. It’s actually quite tiny. Skipping over it shouldn’t be a problem. It isn’t in your way or interfering with your social activities. My posting in this forum isn’t hurting you, at all. So what’s the problem? You are perfectly free to go about the business of bashing each other. No one is stopping you. I suppose you could just as easily ignore me. But you haven’t. Why is that? > [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > What do you hope to accomplish? Do you want to “teach me a lesson”? “Knock me down a few pegs”? Piss me off? Make me cry? Rid the world of scum? Feel like a winner? What? Why not simply decide how you want me to respond and write both sides of the conversation so that it goes the way you want it to go? You won’t need me for that, will you? Help you come to the realization that your persecution complex has nothing to do with me or anyone that’s responded to you thus far. What’s in it for me? A bit of fun at your expense because you seem so easy to tweak. Mostly idle curiousity and simple human empathy at the sight of someone struggling to express himself and connect with others but failing miserably thus far. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/164 "2014-04-24T14:14:06Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Define the terms “follower” and “non-follower”, as you understand them. “Followers” take their cues regarding what they do, think and believe from others. “Non-followers” don’t. > [@](#): > > I suppose you could just as easily ignore me. But you haven’t. Why is that? If you address me on a topic that interests me, it is very likely that I will respond because whether or not I interact isn’t based on one’s ID, reputation or social standing. > [@](#): > > Help you come to the realization that your persecution complex has nothing to do with me or anyone that’s responded to you thus far. Despite your efforts, I don’t feel persecuted. I’ve encountered thousands of touchy people over the course of half a century. I’m not saying it’s impossible to bother me, but that isn’t something that bothers me. Of course, I can’t be bothered on the internet because I’m free to simply leave, but mere petulance doesn’t bother me. > [@](#): > > What’s in it for me? A bit of fun at your expense because you seem so easy to tweak. Mostly idle curiosity and simple human empathy at the sight of someone struggling to express himself and connect with others but failing miserably thus far. I don’t feel “tweaked”, and I’m neither struggling nor seeking “connection” so “empathy” is an inaccurate description of whatever it is you’re feeling. Even so, these assumptions are justified, given your beliefs, as when one is surrounded by so many people like themselves, it is easy to extend that archetype to include everyone. Everyone is free to think, believe, want and give attention to whatever they like - and that’s a whole lot of freedom that most people are choosing to relinquish in favor of social standing - but such a society \*\*\*also \*\*\*affords a whole other level of freedom to someone whose desires are so fundamentally different that such a society believes they cannot exist. Here I am, deliberately interacting with people who don’t believe I exist. Isn’t that interesting? I find it fascinating and since my personal well-being/mood/emotional stability has nothing whatsoever to do with the opinions of such people, why not? When someone believes you don’t exist, being invisible and moving about freely is the easiest thing in the world because you’re a part of reality that so few believe exists. All you have to do is keep your mouth shut. I choose not to because it interests me and because I have some free time during which I am unable to engage in other activities but, not to worry, I’ll lose interest eventually. Thank you for your concern, but it isn’t necessary. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/165 "2014-04-24T15:12:35Z")
Whelp… Thanks for that explanation. Good luck with everything. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/166 "2014-04-24T15:19:58Z")
> [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > It is true: I am not a follower. I’m pretty sure he said you are crazy. I suppose a lot of crazy people are free thinkers unconstrained by convention… or reality. > [@](#): > > Hard to believe I’m still breathing, ain’t it? But if there is \*\*\*anything \*\*\*more boring that marching in formation, I’ve never seen it. And I’ve seen quite a bit. > > Deliberately breaking formation isn’t fatal. It isn’t even dangerous, It can be if you’re on a freeway. > [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > The problem with your assessment is that followers haven’t the slightest idea \*\*\*what \*\*\*non-followers are doing, or why. > The perspectives, intentions and goals are completely different. A non-follower’s perspective doesn’t even match any other non-follower’s perspective. We’re not a posse - we don’t travel in “packs” - our interests and perspectives are diverse. Sometimes wildly so. By that logic, “non-followers”:rolleyes: haven’t the slightest idea why followers (with their diverse interests and perspectives) or other “non-followers”:rolleyes: do what they do. Or are “non-followers”:rolleyes: more perceptive and able to grokk the perspectives of others better than followers? > [@](#): > > There’s a perfectly logical and ridiculously easy way to escape the annoyance that the existence of non-followers inspires - all you have to do is ignore that little corner of the human race. It’s actually quite tiny. Skipping over it shouldn’t be a problem. It isn’t in your way or interfering with your social activities. My posting in this forum isn’t hurting you, at all. So what’s the problem? You are perfectly free to go about the business of bashing each other. No one is stopping you. You’re not annoying, you’re amusing because a lot of us went through that phase during high school or freshman year of college. > [@](#): > > What do you hope to accomplish? Do you want to “teach me a lesson”? “Knock me down a few pegs”? Piss me off? Make me cry? Rid the world of scum? Feel like a winner? What? Why not simply decide how you want me to respond and write both sides of the conversation so that it goes the way you want it to go? You won’t need me for that, will you? Why do people watch sports or throw beer bottles at country singers? Its a form of entertainment. > [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > As I said, I’m not picky about the source of a new line of thought so, if my responding to personal remarks is perceived as…I don’t know…disruptive(?) and gets me banned, why would it matter? It doesn’t seem like you want to pick up new lines of thought, you want to display yours. I doubt you’ll get banned. We have other posters who are probably certifiably crazy who have been posting here for years, some of them provide interseting perspectives. I think people are hoping you are one of those intersting and intelligent crazy people rather than one of the ones that melt down and start talking about the Bavarian illuminati. > [@Bo\_Pai](#): > > Despite your efforts, I don’t feel persecuted. I’ve encountered thousands of touchy people over the course of half a century. And yet you still sound like a college sophomore. ---
**Author:** ![Bo\_Pai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@Bo\_Pai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bo_Pai)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162/167 "2014-04-24T15:31:34Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Whelp… Thanks for that explanation. Good luck with everything. You’re welcome. Good luck to you, as well! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yes-when-you-do-it-its-still-persecution/686162.md?page=8)