Wow. We really aren't grown up yet, are we?

Nutjobfilter: Metafilter Ad Hominem Much? How about we delete posts that start out with grade school name calling? Just for thrills.

Easy question. Easy! Who exactly can we call a nutjob without getting our post deleted? I'd like to see the list. I'm sure many members would like to know if a) their name is on that list; and b) if there are other members who's names aren't.

Otherwise, since we all enjoy a good deleted post, let's go ahead and have some standards. Geesh. Supposing that more pot-calling ensues, feel free to post here if you want to be on the list of people we can slander without fear of real debate.

posted by ewkpates to etiquette/policy at 5:08 AM (45 comments total)

I'm thinking that this will get your name added to the list.
posted by ND¢ at 5:21 AM on January 16 [15 favorites]

You are doing a fine jobby in the mass debate stakes all on your lonesome.
posted by peacay at 5:27 AM on January 16

> Supposing that more pot-calling ensues, feel free to post here if you want to be on the list of people we can slander without fear of real debate.

What a terrific piece of passive-aggressiveness...
posted by benzo8 at 5:28 AM on January 16

You were serious? I thought the "less harmful than other organized religions" rant was - well, a joke.
posted by yhbc at 5:31 AM on January 16

Well, I was going to go look for a dark room to nap in, but now I'll have to stay up and follow this. Thanks a LOT.
posted by middleclasstool at 5:33 AM on January 16

Are you, in fact, Tom Cruise?
posted by randomination at 5:34 AM on January 16 [13 favorites]

There's already a list of people who are tacitly OK with being slandered, it's called The Internet.
posted by Skorgu at 5:35 AM on January 16 [2 favorites]

feel free to post here if you want to be on the list of people we can slander without fear of real debate.

well, at least it means they're thinking of me...
posted by jonmc at 5:41 AM on January 16

Let's pretend we're adults and that people with millions of dollars, and hundreds of people working for their interests, don't need our mollycoddling.
posted by OmieWise at 5:47 AM on January 16 [5 favorites]

I think this "People We Can Call A Nutjob" list is a great idea. Whenever making a personal judgment call about whether or not something is socially acceptable, I always consult the appropriate list.

Thinking of swearing in front of someone? I just check my "People I Can Use Explicit Language Around" list. Feel like taking my pants off? I check my handy "Places Where I Can Take My Pants Off" list.

Common sense is overrated. The best way to handle everything is to create a list of what to do and what not to do, preferably by committee.
posted by burnmp3s at 5:48 AM on January 16 [2 favorites]

*coddles molly*
posted by jonmc at 5:50 AM on January 16 [2 favorites]

People who start another MetaTalk thread on a topic that's already being discussed a few posts down? Definitely on the list.
posted by grouse at 5:51 AM on January 16 [1 favorite]

Slander me in bacon.
posted by Wolfdog at 5:52 AM on January 16 [4 favorites]

How about we delete posts that start out with grade school name calling?

From here:
"scalefree, you Freud loving Commie you..."

Ok.
posted by slater at 5:53 AM on January 16

Geez, you call someone a nutjob, and all the crazies come out of the woodwork.
posted by smackfu at 5:53 AM on January 16 [7 favorites]

Please add me to this list. But only if it means that I get an insider pass to call Tom Cruise a nutjob.
posted by lodurr at 5:54 AM on January 16

I don't think you understand what ad hominem means. If the comments had been all about how Scientology is freaky because Tom Cruise is such a nutjob, that would be one thing. But I think the posters have been doing a good job, by and large, pointing out that both Cruise and Scientology are batshit insane, each on their own merits.
posted by mkultra at 5:54 AM on January 16 [18 favorites]

burnmp3s-- if you have an electronic version, please MeFi Mail me a copy of your "Places Where I Can Take My Pants Off" list. Definitely would have helped me avoid a few rough situations.
posted by ibmcginty at 5:58 AM on January 16 [1 favorite]

Who exactly can we call a nutjob without getting our post deleted?

Nutjobs.
posted by probablysteve at 6:01 AM on January 16 [15 favorites]

yeah, and the link to the wiki definition of ad hominem is pretty lame. I think we're all pretty familiar with the term, and linking to it makes it look like you don't think we do. Which is insulting.

But that's just my picking of nit in a thread where there's a lot of nit to pick.
posted by localhuman at 6:02 AM on January 16

Actually we'd be libelling them.

Sorry.
posted by athenian at 6:03 AM on January 16

*makes it look like you don't think we are*
posted by localhuman at 6:03 AM on January 16

How much, by the way, is one expected to tip for a pot call?
posted by Wolfdog at 6:08 AM on January 16

Charles Manson

Fred Phelps and family

Michael Jackson

I would venture to say that these people are definitely nutjobs and can be freely made made fun of.

However, since Manson is probably actually clinically insane, someone may object due to discrimination against the mentally ill.

You never know with the bunch of fucking nutjobs on this site.
posted by chillmost at 6:13 AM on January 16

All right, so I'm gonna try to start us out:

-Tom Cruise
-Dave Sim
-King George III
-Ayn Rand
-The Noid

Please feel free to add more. We can DO this, people!
posted by Greg Nog at 6:13 AM on January 16 [4 favorites]

Gary Busey?
posted by Optamystic at 6:16 AM on January 16

Morrissey.
Regis Philbin.
posted by jonmc at 6:20 AM on January 16

Someone needs a vacation.
posted by Brocktoon at 6:21 AM on January 16

oh, and: Phil Spector.
posted by Brocktoon at 6:22 AM on January 16

O.J. Simpson
Keanu Reeves
posted by smackfu at 6:22 AM on January 16

You know who else made a list?
posted by localhuman at 6:24 AM on January 16

That's right, Santa.
posted by middleclasstool at 6:25 AM on January 16 [7 favorites]

note: Everyone needs a vacation.
posted by micayetoca at 6:28 AM on January 16 [2 favorites]

Sure are a lot of SPs around here.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:34 AM on January 16 [4 favorites]

I'm one! I'm one!
posted by lodurr at 6:38 AM on January 16

Did someone say George Bush or DICK Cheney yet?
posted by terrapin at 6:40 AM on January 16

Does Britney Spears qualify?
posted by jouke at 6:43 AM on January 16

If Mr. Blackwell gives her a break, I think we should, too.
posted by lodurr at 6:44 AM on January 16

Should we add something to the FAQ about how to construct a good and useful MetaTalk post? So many seem to start off on the wrong foot.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:47 AM on January 16 [1 favorite]

Beyonce.

Celine Dion.

With clips to back it up.
posted by hermitosis at 6:57 AM on January 16 [1 favorite]

I don't think you understand what ad hominem means.

That's the least of the problems with this post. But yeah, he clearly doesn't understand what ad hominem means.

Oh, and you can call me a nutjob too. I won't get all enturbulated.
posted by languagehat at 6:57 AM on January 16 [1 favorite]

How friggin dare anyone out there make fun of Tom Cruise after all he has been through.
He lost his aunt, He went through a divorce. He had two friggin kids.
Nicole turned out to be a user, a cheater, and he's lost his custody battle. All you Mefites care about is….. readers and making money off of him.
HE’S A HUMAN! What you don’t realize is that Tom Cruise is making you all this money and all you do is write a bunch of crap about him.

LEAVE HIM ALONE!
You are lucky he even performed for you BASTARDS!
LEAVE TOM CRUISE ALONE!…..Please.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 6:59 AM on January 16 [1 favorite]

Do nutjobs need hugs, or are they exempt?
posted by ardgedee at 7:01 AM on January 16

feel free to post here if you want to be on the list of people we can slander without fear of real debate.

See, but here's the thing: there's no magic "no real debate is allowed" switch someone can pull on an arbitrary post to make this happen. People here love to debate. Some folks will go out of their way to argue as devil's advocate, or defend the trodden, if they've got a quiet moment to invest.

So when someone calls Person A a nutjob and no one disagrees, it's not really a great sign for Person A.

That's a sidetrack, though, from the duller and more point-defeating fact that there's no such rule, that these things get called on a case-by-case basis, and that this is basically THREAD NUMBER THREE on the subject.
posted by cortex at 7:05 AM on January 16 [4 favorites]

Wow. We really aren't grown up yet, are we? January 16, 2008 5:08 AM Subscribe

Wow. We really aren't grown up yet, are we?
January 16, 2008 5:08 AM Subscribe