One of the top reasons it's hard to kick the habit is that -- and I know many people suffer from the same problem -- it's just so very hard to see somebody say something wrong and not attempt to disprove them.
But last night I experienced something I've not experienced in all my memory. I'm really grateful for it because I think it will really help me to not waste nearly so much time arguing with people online.
Last night, there was somebody who was breaking the rules on this one particular site. I decided to call him out for it. At first, he denied it. I persisted. He careened down a side-alley to escape. I pursued him vigilantly. Eventually my efforts paid off and I got him cornered in his own web of lies, and he admitted to breaking the rules and that he was doing so intentionally (i.e. he was a troll). However, he then said this to me:
"Y'know, I don't fucking care if you guys ban me or not. I'm so fucking stoned out of my mind right now."
... I then realized that I had spent the last 50 minutes arguing with somebody who couldn't care less never mind personally but physiologically! I had spent so much time and effort arguing with someone who wasn't even going to be able to remember having had this argument with me come the next morning. I had, in effect, been arguing with a brick wall.
I have always found this image macro to be both funny and true, but never moreso than last night:
3 comments:
I try to stick to the principle of only disputing factual errors that can be easily demonstrated by a few quick links. When it gets into the realm of opinion, it's only worth talking about in real life; over the internet it's a waste of time, nobody's going to change their convictions based on a little bit of text on a monitor.
The Nazz is a little asian child arguing with a jackass.
As for your election question which I cannot find, uh... I thought I'd start small with an election I could win.
Sorry, it took a long time to post. It's here now.
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