I Don't Care

[LadyForCamus]

Well.

[Cod]

Exactly.

[Shell B]

Oh, piss off with that nonsense. Pretending he didn't "start it" just so you can make it sound like a bunch of bullies pushed him away. The man repeatedly and relentlessly insulted women. I'm supposed to just take that or get labeled a bully? How did you even justify that post in your mind? Fucking bizarre.

You and I have different moral codes.

I am a Bill and Ted Fundamentalist. I think that we should always be excellent to one another.

You are a Bill and Ted Reform Movement. You think that we should be excellent to one another provided that the other person expresses ideas on the Internet that we agree with. 

Our faiths are irreconcilable.

Actually, no. I'm perfectly fine with people disagreeing with me on the Internet and elsewhere. What you expect me to do is be personally insulted and just take it like a bitch. That's not a moral code. That's just telling other people they're bad for sticking up for themselves.

[Belacqua]

What you expect me to do is be personally insulted and just take it like a bitch. 

See, that's an interesting reaction to me. 

A lot of people have this apparently automatic reaction that the best thing to do is always fight back. We're supposed to be kind and empathetic and all that until the moment we judge that the other person doesn't deserve it, and then we become justified in making that person feel bad. 

Serious question: does fighting back help anything? Or would walking away just stop things?
 
I'm not talking about Nazis invading Poland. I'm talking about random strangers on the Internet who say things you don't like. 

To me, refusing to fall to the level of insult and name-calling is an ideal that keeps us humane. It has nothing to do with the behavior of the other person -- if he or she starts insulting, it just shows that he or she is someone who communicates in that way. In fact I think it demeans the insulter. There is no reason for me to participate in that. 

Again, why not explain yourself clearly and, if that doesn't work, walk away?

[Losty]

What you expect me to do is be personally insulted and just take it like a bitch. 

See, that's an interesting reaction to me. 

A lot of people have this apparently automatic reaction that the best thing to do is always fight back. We're supposed to be kind and empathetic and all that until the moment we judge that the other person doesn't deserve it, and then we become justified in making that person feel bad. 

Serious question: does fighting back help anything? Or would walking away just stop things?
 
I'm not talking about Nazis invading Poland. I'm talking about random strangers on the Internet who say things you don't like. 

To me, refusing to fall to the level of insult and name-calling is an ideal that keeps us humane. It has nothing to do with the behavior of the other person -- if he or she starts insulting, it just shows that he or she is someone who communicates in that way. In fact I think it demeans the insulter. There is no reason for me to participate in that. 

Again, why not explain yourself clearly and, if that doesn't work, walk away?

Why do you care? Some people walk away, some people call them out without returning the vitriol, some people fight back. Everyone is responsible for how they themselves act, regardless of how other people act.

I see you all the time just constantly talking shit about the people on this forum, even though you never take the time to actually engage with people who don’t act the way you say we all supposedly act. Why do you think that makes you any better? Just because you don’t use swear words when you say it? It’s still basically name calling. You tell every new person who comes here that we’re all a bunch of jerks. Well, look in the mirror. You think you’re a nice person? You seem to have made it your personal mission to smear all of us just because the big bad meanies use swear words when they don’t agree with you. Get over yourself.

[Belacqua]

You tell every new person who comes here that we’re all a bunch of jerks.

This is not true.

There was one guy who came here who told us he was upset and emotionally vulnerable. He was here looking for solidarity and fellowship. 

I told him that until he got to know people a little bit it was best to hold his ideas close to his chest, as people are not always thoughtful of people who are emotionally vulnerable. 

So I think you're exaggerating quite a bit. 

Just because you don’t use swear words when you say it?

Piss. Fuck. 

[Alan V]

Just because you don’t use swear words when you say it?

Piss. Fuck.

"Piss" is a swear word? Well, crap.

[Belacqua]

Piss. Fuck.

"Piss" is a swear word?  Well, crap.  

アホ。

うんこ垂れ.

I may not be very good at this.

[Shell B]

See, that's an interesting reaction to me. 

You're easy to entertain.

A lot of people have this apparently automatic reaction that the best thing to do is always fight back.

I don't know where you got the idea that my automatic reaction is to always fight back. I called a man who was being a misogynist a misogynist. I'm pretty sure I didn't even call him a bunch of mean names, like he was doing with me. I was labeling his behavior correctly. Misogynist is not an insult. It's not like fuckwad or retard. It's a term used to describe a specific behavior/belief system. I used it accurately.

We're supposed to be kind and empathetic and all that until the moment we judge that the other person doesn't deserve it, and then we become justified in making that person feel bad.

You have absolutely no evidence that he feels bad. However, you're otherwise right. There is no reason to go out of your way to try not to hurt a cunt's feelings. It's perfectly okay to hurt a cunt's feelings because cunts are cunts.

Serious question: does fighting back help anything? Or would walking away just stop things?

Both things are equally true in different scenarios. In this scenario, "walking away" is pointless. This is a discussion forum. We're here to discuss things, even with people who are rude.
 

I'm not talking about Nazis invading Poland. I'm talking about random strangers on the Internet who say things you don't like. 

Keep on downplaying what he says as simply "things I don't like." It's the only way your objection can make even the tiniest bit of sense.

To me, refusing to fall to the level of insult and name-calling is an ideal that keeps us humane.

Bully for you. I'll stick with things that actually help humanity. You can sit here and pretend like you're some angel of the Internet. *yawn*

It has nothing to do with the behavior of the other person -- if he or she starts insulting, it just shows that he or she is someone who communicates in that way.

But the person insulting back is the problem? The guy who "starts it" "just" communicates that way. The guy who responds is a bully? Your shit is twisted, yo.

Again, why not explain yourself clearly and, if that doesn't work, walk away?

What if I said I have no legs? Would you shut up?

[LadyForCamus]

Passive aggressive and demeaning dialogue is a no higher horse than calling someone stupid, or an asshole. Saying to someone who you have never engaged with before (me), “I guess that’s your metaphysical commitment”, is simply calling that person closed minded using bigger words. It’s an insult. I’m not just picking on you, @Belaqua. This is a trend with many theists who have spent time here. They think they have purchase on the moral high ground because they don’t swear or name-call, but the truth is, they put people down almost as often as atheists put them down. We just tend to be more direct about it. 😏