What do we do about all of you assholes?

October 7, 2003 12:57 PM

We've all seen what can happen when MeFi devolves into pointless personality conflicts: the site gets hijacked to propogate something that 99.9% of the users don't care about. We've also all seen one member virtually drag another into such conflicts, making a two-way crapfest out of what was originally just one-sided goofiness...[more inside]
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly to etiquette/policy at 12:57 PM (24 comments total)

So if one is not interested in such a silly cyber-fight, and attempts to flesh out/resolve any possible underlying issues are ignored, what is to be done? Clearly, trolls are to be ignored, so I'm not looking for any sort of approach to this particular situation so much as asking what we can do--as a community--to make childish personal disputes a less prominent stain on the blue. Anyone?
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 12:58 PM on October 7, 2003

I haven't the faintest idea what you are talking about.
posted by timeistight at 1:03 PM on October 7, 2003

well hey, ignatius, i mean, no way can your post approach the quality and uniqueness of the fire you left me's linkdump offering. that was a fucking tour de force.
posted by quonsar at 1:05 PM on October 7, 2003

Fair enough. I'm talking about the fire you left me's interesting campaign to drop mildly insulting one-liners in reference to virtually anything I say, while never trying to actually make a refute a point other than that ignatius is a poopyhead. I don't care about some personal fight, and I don't want to make some MeTa call-out thread, because those are stupid. I am interested in finding out if any other sort of parasite/host relationships have been dealt with well in the past.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 1:09 PM on October 7, 2003

When I get embroiled into a pointless personal deathmatch on the Web, what I'm looking for is independent confirmation that the other person is a total fucking moron.

There should be some kind of independent judging panel on the Web where two flamewarriors could be referred. They could plead their case and the panel would choose the moron.

Either that or one of those knife fights where both people hold a leather strap with their off hand. I can't decide.
posted by rcade at 1:33 PM on October 7, 2003

My experience is that letting people get to you here and then saying anything about it brings out the torches and pitchforks from your anti-fans and the profoundly easily annoyed. God knows why one can get so upset by something a stranger types at a terminal a thousand miles away, let alone a loved one. I can tell you with extreme authority that the biggest pitfall in a long distance relationship currently is email. Vent and send is the downfall of many a wonderful friendship. There's not even a walk to the mailbox in which to possibly cool down. If only we were all Vulcans.
posted by y2karl at 1:36 PM on October 7, 2003

My experience is that letting people get to you here and then saying anything about it brings out the torches and pitchforks from your anti-fans and the profoundly easily annoyed.

I did start this thread and all, but I don't know if I would say that it "gets to me." It's amusing at this point, but I have seen a lot of stupid little adversarial relatioships brew up here on MeFi, and it tends to be the ones involving anonymous posters that elevate to the level of attacks to people's websites and such. I don't know how to attack other people's websites, so I am interested in stopping this flap before it gets bigger. Failing that, it would be cool to have a "who is your favorite anonymous troll" poll thread.

So, who is your favorite anonymous troll?
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 1:43 PM on October 7, 2003

Cattlovrr.
posted by rcade at 1:50 PM on October 7, 2003

what we can do--as a community--to make childish personal disputes a less prominent stain

I don't think there's a systematic answer to this. There's no feature that can be developed, no rule that can be established, no guideline that will help.

It's got to be an individual evolution on the part of each person involved, a decision to move away from detraction, argument, and attack as a way of passing the time.

I believe that reconciliation can be infectious. Often, if you simply take a step back and lower your voice, just as someone else is screaming their head off at you, they will respond in kind.

We're all afraid to back off, as if *not* rising to a personal challenge indicates we don't have the strength of conviction, or depth of research to back up our beliefs.

But I've been impressed by the patience of a lot of folks here, almost as often as I've been appalled by hostility. Especially when held up against other online discussion areas, MeFi can be at times remarkably mature, collaborative, fun, and educational.

I guess what I'd suggest in terms of keeping it there is to ignore bad behavior. Attention is its own reward. The only reason to scrawl bile here, rather than a bathroom wall, is that you will get a response here.

I'm not going to name any names, and I'm certainly not holding myself up as an example. But I don't think there's any easier answer to this.
posted by scarabic at 2:10 PM on October 7, 2003

Fuck the independent judging panel.
I reckon we get some netting and a trident and settle these things old-style.

posted by seanyboy at 2:39 PM on October 7, 2003

Now now, we can't have anyone freaking out and hucking their tridents up toward Matt in the Emperor's box.


posted by scarabic at 3:29 PM on October 7, 2003

Awww, Ignatius, do you need a widdle hug? Will that make you feel better?
posted by xmutex at 3:33 PM on October 7, 2003

Yeah, that's it. I'm clearly very upset. Thanks for putting all this into perspective. I take back all that really embarassing emotional stuff I said.

xmutex-
Do you mock the general notion of discussion of community standards? Or am I just going about it all wrong? If so, how?
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 4:02 PM on October 7, 2003

He's a student of human nature, junior troll division. It's just words on a screen is his constant refrain. We amuse him, we're all a joke to him. He adds little but his petty contempt for us--especially if we show feelings. He's a cool guy.
posted by y2karl at 12:51 AM on October 8, 2003

Ignatius, every community/village have their idiots. You let them go on and completely ignore them.

Just like that. They're looking for attention, you don't respond to those that are off base.

Stay the course and fight the urge to let one rip and have a go at them. It's probably bad for one's health anyways.

A long fight, moderators, judges? Nah. How much time does one have in a day anyways? And for what?

It's your choice. It isn't easy, but I can't think of anything else that can give you a good return on time invested in an FPP. It's rude on their part, but sadly some are like that.

Would these people act the same way face to face? I don't think so. They would think twice at least anyways.
posted by alicesshoe at 12:51 AM on October 8, 2003

gondola smock blues

E7
i'm a'puttin' on my smock gonna cruise the gondola down my street,
(smock smock smock smock smock)
A7
i'm a goin' where the ponies and the pancakes are runnin' deep,
(smock smock smock smock smock)
B7
oh baby tell your daddy i won't lick his feet,
A7
no, i won't be a-gaggin' on that smegmous meat!
E7
oh i'm a'puttin' on my smock gonna cruise the gondola tonight!
(smock smock smock smock smock)
posted by quonsar at 1:53 AM on October 8, 2003

[trombone solo]
posted by MrBaliHai at 3:28 AM on October 8, 2003

making a two-way crapfest out of what was originally just one-sided goofiness

MeFi has some of the best of both. That's why I keep coming back. ;-P
posted by mischief at 4:57 AM on October 8, 2003

quonsar, that looks like an excellent 12-bar smock.
posted by soyjoy at 7:21 AM on October 8, 2003

Ma Rainey did it better for Okeh in 1927. (I heard the fabulously rare recording on y2karl's radio show, needless to say.)
posted by languagehat at 12:39 PM on October 8, 2003

Either that or one of those knife fights where both people hold a leather strap with their off hand.

I am SO voting for this.
posted by rushmc at 3:32 PM on October 8, 2003

metatalk is like being in prison.
posted by carfilhiot at 5:46 PM on October 8, 2003

*points*

that your soap?
posted by quonsar at 7:10 PM on October 8, 2003

q - very Pynchon, very nice.
posted by UlfMagnet at 1:52 PM on October 10, 2003