# ZPG Zealot is a troll **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 23, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068 "2010-01-23T01:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/21 "2010-01-23T16:31:54Z")
I think she’s genuine. Certainly not very bright, and quite possibly suffering any number of personality disorders, but genuine, Honestly, I think that many of the people who get accused of trolling around here are being given entirely too much credit. I know it’s hard to believe… _painful_, to believe even, but there really are people who are just that stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/22 "2010-01-23T16:45:04Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > Apart from all her wacky beliefs, I can’t help but think she’s just a bit thick. > > If she can’t tell that her client is terrified of losing the child she loves to the woman who gave birth to the child, then she’s just plain old stupid. Maybe the client isn’t going about things the best way, but she’s operating from a position of fear and love. That combination makes people do stupid things. Notice she also seemed to take it seriously when someone joked about committing cannibalism. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/23 "2010-01-23T17:44:59Z")
I don’t think she’s a troll, just terribly naive. She’s lived her whole life within a particular society and has a hard time imagining that things could be any different than what she experiences daily with her family and friends. And it sounds like within her limited circle she’s somewhat respected – “a wise woman” – that people seek out for advice. The result is an ugly combination of naivete and smugness. She knows what she knows with rock-solid certainty, even though most people outside her limited circle think her opinions are ugly and wrong. And since she’s unaccustomed to having to defend her beliefs in the wider world, she doesn’t have the skills to form a coherent argument for why her beliefs are correct. She just knows that they ARE, because that’s how the world works and she’s someone who knows. Having grown up among religious fundamentalists, I’m familiar with the type. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/24 "2010-01-23T17:55:32Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Notice she also seemed to take it seriously when someone joked about committing cannibalism. Her head would probably explode if she read _A Modest Proposal_. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/25 "2010-01-23T17:57:58Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > I am glad she is here, if for no other reason that seeing the “I’m a fortune teller” followed by guessing that another poster was an adoptive parent, followed by “Nope, I don’t have any children”. 😃 That would be me, and it cracked me up, too. I got (rightfully) chastised for calling her a fraudulent predator in Great Debates, so I guess I can do it here. Why anyone is still attempting to “debate” an admitted fraudulent predator regarding what is clearly either a delusional process akin to that of schizophrenia, or a wholly-unsustainable irrational argument, is beyond me. But it’s one of the reasons why I admire so many people on the job - they never give up the fight against moronicity, even when it’s obvious they’re losing. Rock on, Dopers. Keep fighting the good fight. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/26 "2010-01-23T18:23:10Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > She just knows that they ARE, because that’s how the world works and she’s someone who knows. I think this is probably it. There’s an undercurrent of a basic belief throughout all her posts that there is something about blood relations that makes them more real, more _worthy_, than adopted relations. It’s never really brought out and explored properly because it’s just such a fundamental fact of reality to her that it’s simply assumed and not worth discussing, even though most modern westerners don’t necessarily see it that way. So she gets confused and irritated when we don’t share her basic assumption about the conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/27 "2010-01-23T19:11:03Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Notice she also seemed to take it seriously when someone joked about committing cannibalism. A little part of me hopes that she’s just a really good troll for responding to me that way…the alternative–that that’s how she processes sarcasm–is a bit scary. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/28 "2010-01-23T19:22:03Z")
I also hope she is a troll. Otherwise this level of stupid would frighten me quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/29 "2010-01-23T19:22:30Z")
Although she’ll never admit to it, that thread is just venting by ZPG. She “raised” her brother for many years and feels slighted that she can’t be labeled a Mom. So she glorifies the term “Guardian” to make herself feel better, and puts down adoptive parents and the mom/dad labels, since there’s not much difference between what they do and what she did. What a loon. FWIW, I do believe she’s genuine, and a fortune teller, and had some part in raising her brother, but that’s about it. She has little understanding of what it means to be a parent, and the rest of her drivel–the client, the daughter, her childhood, her time in Europe–either entirely made up, deliberately misremembered, or very embellished. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/30 "2010-01-23T19:35:43Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I also hope she is a troll. Otherwise this level of stupid would frighten me quite a bit. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Ignorance, including the willful variety, is much more common than malice. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/31 "2010-01-23T19:36:58Z")
She also says that killing newborn babies is a good idea in some cases, in this thread: > **[Of Infanticide and Abortion](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546471)** > > I just stumbled across this couple month old thread: about how female sexual habits would change if we had no abortion. Anyway, as a tangent, this post came up: In a normal society where abortion is allowed and we have adoption and the infant drop... I think it’s remarkable that she wasn’t pitted already, just for that. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/32 "2010-01-23T21:11:10Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > The first time I encountered anti-adoption types I thought it was trolling, too. Or really bad humor. > > I am glad she is here, if for no other reason that seeing the “I’m a fortune teller” followed by guessing that another poster was an adoptive parent, followed by “Nope, I don’t have any children”. 😃 > > Like the exchange one sees in college - > > “I can always guess someone’s star sign. I bet you are a Leo!” > > “Nope.” I imagine she has a lot of this: “Well, ya know, adopted parents AREN’T the scourge of the earth.” “Let me guess. You’re an adopter?” “No.” “You WERE adopted?” “No.” “You’re friends with adopters?” “No.” “You work with one?” "Well, back in college I temped at a company for a couple of months where my boss was trying to adopt from China, not sure if she made it, but– “I KNEW it!” ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/33 "2010-01-23T21:33:47Z")
\*\*Freud \*\*and **Shodan** , I have a friend who does this with astrological signs. She really thinks the time of the year you were born has more than fuckall to do with what kind of person you are, and often tries her damnedest to fabricate personality similarities between the two of us, simply because we’re both Aries, even though we’re night and day. If the phrase “opposites attract” were true at all, it would describe our friendship. More specific to what you two posted, we’ll often be talking to a stranger, and she will determine that she’s picked up on X personality trait, and is convinced she knows the person’s zodiac sign. Her: You’re complicated. You must be a Gemini. Stranger: No. Her: Or maybe Cancer. Stranger: No. Her: Taurus? Stranger: No. Her: Uhh… Capricon? Stranger: (sigh) No. Her: Aquarius? Stranger: Yes. Her: I could so tell! Me: :rolleyes: The best part is I’m not exaggerating. Recently she went through _five different signs_ before she pulled the “Told ya!” bit. I usually let her be when she goes into her Zodiac bullshit, but I couldn’t help but to laugh that time. So anyway, is the guest of honor ever going to show? ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/34 "2010-01-23T21:39:04Z")
Don’t rule out “nut,” “dope” and “troll” simultaneously. I think troll, for sure though, with a qualifier. She may well have shreds of what she purports to believe in her personal philosophy; it may not be completely made up. But it was absolutely obvious to me that she was trying to push people’s buttons, that this was her primary objective, and she was getting a cheap, little thrill every time it worked. If her question were genuine, it was answered quickly, and she would have moved on. Frankly, I couldn’t believe she was indulged for as long as she has been in that thread. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/35 "2010-01-23T21:50:03Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Don’t rule out “nut,” “dope” and “troll” simultaneously. I think troll, for sure though, with a qualifier. I’ve come to agree with you, based opn her latest idea that children raised with unconditional love turn out to be sociopathic. Somehow I doubt she is speaking from experience. > [@](#): > > She may well have shreds of what she purports to believe in her personal philosophy; it may not be completely made up. But it was absolutely obvious to me that she was trying to push people’s buttons, that this was her primary objective, and she was getting a cheap, little thrill every time it worked. Yes, there’s a pattern -whenever the thread shows signs of dying off, she comes up with another question designed to push people’s button. Witness the latest. Partly my fault for feeding her. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/36 "2010-01-23T21:55:17Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Don’t rule out “nut,” “dope” and “troll” simultaneously. I think troll, for sure though, with a qualifier. She may well have shreds of what she purports to believe in her personal philosophy; it may not be completely made up. But it was absolutely obvious to me that she was trying to push people’s buttons, that this was her primary objective, and she was getting a cheap, little thrill every time it worked. If her question were genuine, it was answered quickly, and she would have moved on. Frankly, I couldn’t believe she was indulged for as long as she has been in that thread. Speaking only for myself, I didn’t consider myself indulging her as much as trying to expose the extent of her bigotry. I found it to be a rather amusing exercise. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/37 "2010-01-23T21:58:56Z")
I just went for the straight up mocking, myself. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/38 "2010-01-23T22:14:33Z")
> [@flyboy](#): > > Although she’ll never admit to it, that thread is just venting by ZPG. She “raised” her brother for many years and feels slighted that she can’t be labeled a Mom. So she glorifies the term “Guardian” to make herself feel better, and puts down adoptive parents and the mom/dad labels, since there’s not much difference between what they do and what she did. What a loon. Very insightful post. I tend to agree. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/39 "2010-01-23T22:27:48Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > She also says that killing newborn babies is a good idea in some cases, in this thread: > > [Of Infanticide and Abortion - Great Debates - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546471) > > I think it’s remarkable that she wasn’t pitted already, just for that. Actually, I tend to agree in _some_ cases, quite extreme ones, it might indeed be necessary to kill a newborn. I just tend not to try to base arguments on extraordinary necessity. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068/40 "2010-01-23T23:04:08Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Actually, I tend to agree in _some_ cases, quite extreme ones, it might indeed be necessary to kill a newborn. I just tend not to try to base arguments on extraordinary necessity. Anything might be possible in extraordinary situations. She was arguing that extraordinary situations happen all the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zpg-zealot-is-a-troll/526068.md?page=3)