So I know that on this site trolls are not tolerated — HardWorker

Unless they are mods. So long as you can find a seat at the cool kids table in the high school cafeteria, you can do pretty much whatever you want. Otherwise, trolling is often defined as anything a mod finds inconvenient to whatever position they are articulating.

As example, check out the banning thread, the whole thing is basically one long troll fest run by the mods. And to be fair to the mods, this service of making snotty comments behind the backs of those who are no longer here to defend themselves is a popular service with many in the general membership. And if you should truth tell like this, you can quickly find yourself one of the topics of that thread.

You don’t have to worry about flaming people, the mods will give you a warning about any problematic behaviour except in the most egregious cases.
Almost every time someone is banned its because they were warned about something and continued doing it snyway.
This site is pretty good about any flaming and insults, people get away with alot and judging by your example I would say you have nothing to worry about.

Indeed, it is a horrible and unfair place. Do not let us detain you here any longer, good sir. And good luck in the fairer internet climes we are sure you will find more suitable to someone of your erudition and kindliness.



Sure, you can do that.

Read the site guidelines. If your flaming someone has in itself TPF-specific purpose, as in having philosophical import, then it's still a bad idea, but maybe defensible. But better to ask a moderator. My own bias is that no legitimate philosophical idea "flames" anyone.

But after about a thousand posts, you'll see that some folks need to have the torch applied. But to be aplied with some care and not indiscriminately.

Maybe it works like karma. For every troll action there is a troll reaction, like waves on the surface of a pond slowly diffusing. If the reactionary amplifiers quiet, we might be able to hear something else.

Did I just amplify the amplifiers? Are they like the borg, entities of a collective one? What is really going on, beyond the fun or tedious drama is a mystery.

Maybe it works like karma. For every troll action there is a troll reaction, like waves on the surface of a pond slowly diffusing. If the reactionary amplifiers quiet, we might be able to hear something else.

Did I just amplify the amplifiers? Are they like the borg, entities of a collective one? What is really going on, beyond the fun or tedious drama is a mystery. — Nils Loc

:eyes: This is how you write something "different" without it being shit.

Indeed, it is a horrible and unfair place — Baden

Look, just saying, it's hard for the mod team to retain credibility when at least some of them routinely engage in food fight behavior. You yourself have been repeatedly seen applauding such behavior, and then immediately erasing any mention of it.

And so often the mods just aren't objective honest rulers. As example, I'm convinced beyond any doubt that had my "off topic" comments in the Gaza thread been in support of the ideological position the mods prefer, the mod team would have been perfectly content with those comments. I don't care about that thread, but this is a consistent pattern.

Just look at the Gaza thread. Everything I'm saying is documented in print for anyone to see. The thread is filled to overflowing with personal insults, a tsunami of pointless little quips, thoroughly unobjective one sided propaganda making no attempt at understanding, and various other kinds of low quality content, much of it contributed by mods.

And then a mod will jump in and declare how concerned they are about quality. It's not a crime, it's not horrible, it's just silly.

It's a politics not a philosophy thread, so it will be full of contention and conflict. Qualify tends to be lower as a result and yes, we all contribute to that, including mods. Such is the nature of such threads. But it will be kept on topic as a minimum effort at maintaining coherence. If that's too silly for you, so be it.

It's a politics not a philosophy thread, so it will be full of contention and conflict. Qualify tends to be lower as a result and yes, we all contribute to that, including mods. Such is the nature of such threads. But it will be kept on topic as a minimum effort at maintaining coherence. If that's too silly for you, so be it. — Baden

Ok, so this is an honest clear statement, and I do agree that this is part of your writing style as well. So thanks for that. I will return to my own silliness now.

Perhaps it would help to further define the word troll?

I don't claim to own the word, but this has always been my understanding. A troll is someone who says controversial things they don't actually believe or care about for the sole purpose of stirring up trouble. As example, Trump is a troll. Not because he's conservative, but because he's not. He doesn't care at all about issues, he just feeds conflict as a purely personal political tactic.

It seems "troll" has come to mean, anything somebody doesn't like. The original poster's confusion on the topic may arise from the sloppy nature of such a definition.

Perhaps it would help to further define the word troll? — Foghorn

A "troll" is someone who trolls. A definition of a "troll" isn't particularly useful imho, since the act of trolling can be engaged in by anyone, really. Much more useful to define the act of "trolling" itself. I like how Matt Joyce defined the term in his Defcon talk:

"Trolling is fuzzing someone else's mind with the express purpose of laughing so hard you squirt 30 year old single malt through your nose."

I also like his distinction between "dicks" on the one hand and "trolls" on the other. Key distinction? Dicks just aren't funny.

Anyway, here link to the talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcAHbvTlpKA

A "troll" is someone who trolls. A definition of a "troll" isn't particularly useful imho, — Ying

Yes, the word troll has come to mean whatever a speaker wishes it to mean. That happens in language I guess, some words become placeholders for an infinite variety of meanings.

As example, check out the banning thread, the whole thing is basically one long troll fest run by the mods. And to be fair to the mods, this service of making snotty comments behind the backs of those who are no longer here to defend themselves is a popular service with many in the general membership. — Foghorn

I wish you had participated in the last installment of that thread, when I suggested that the moderators not ban anyone until they had expressed their intention to the whole forum and welcomed opinions either for or against their impending action. None of the reasons I offered for my opinion was addressed: the only reason against it that was proffered was, that “this is not a democracy”.

Well, of course it’s not a democracy. In a democracy a citizen cannot be expunged according to the arbitrary judgement of some one or few ppl. Neither is it a benign oligarchy, in which the few who have such power exercise it with caution and a view to the overall good of the citizenry.

To verify the truth of what I am saying, there is no need of any analysis of what bannings have occurred and the posthumous reasons given for them by the moderators and their supporters; one need only read their posts, and the attitudes expressed in them: “keep talking like this and you will find that you are no longer able to say anything”, or, “If y’all insist on continuing in this thread, I’ll ban the lot of you!”, etc. These are not exact quotes, just periphrases drawn from my memory, but they convey the spirit of the mods. That spirit is of those who have absolute power, know they have absolute power, and bounce anyone they will out of Jamalrob’s private club for any reason they can concoct.

When I’m in a nightclub, and the bouncer tells me “I can throw you out of this place for no reason at all”, my impulse is to find the nearest exit, and not venture far from it. But then I’m informed, “You can check out anytime you like/but you can never leave” (!)

Concerning the “bannings” thread, go there now and try to post something. Good luck with that!

Perhaps it would help to further define the word troll? — Foghorn

I like the old timey meaning of a troll as a creature who hung out at bridges and hit people up for cash or goods if they wished to pass. It captures the fixity of purpose and the demand for an exchange at the same time.

Foghorn was banned a few days ago.

Wow, counting the days. :broken:

@Banno

In surfing around in this forum, I don’t much see @jamalrob, its putative owner, but I often see you. The most conspicuous members of an oligarchy, I venture, are the most abusive of their powers. And is it any coincidence that your user-name contains the word “ban”, or that this fact hasn’t impressed itself upon both you and any other member?

And is this all you have to say about my last post, that “Foghorn was banned a few days ago”, rather than respond to the points I made? To point out my ignorance of an insignificant detail, rather than answer my detailed criticism of those who hold power here?

In fine, I ask that my user name be changed to “Leghorn”, in honor of my fallen comrade...which thing I have no doubt you and your colleagues have the power to effect.

And is it any coincidence that your user-name contains the word “ban”, — Todd Martin

And is it any coincidence that your user-name contains the word “odd”?

@Banno

That is pure coincidence, as it is my actual name. My real name is Todd Martin... it is on my birth certificate. Is your real name Banno? If not, how did you choose it as your pseudonym?

I swore myself off of this site while Appolotyphus is a member here, but I must interject. A quick search on "Banno" turned up to results. One is the title of a Bollywood movie or of a song in it, which is a Hindi RAP. It's quite remarkable, can be easily found on YouTube. The other allusion to Banno is a new type of fancy bank that does things for its customers which I have not enough education to understand. I still think of banks as cash keepers and money lenders, but apparently they do much more than that.

So that's the story behind the name Banno I could muster up for your reading pleasure.

This confession gets you banned automatically, as no allusions are allowed under the death penalty that can trace a person to his or her real identity. (Hehe... is said "tity".) If you are granted clemency, run with it, and carry on with business as usual.

Mark my words: there is NO coincidence that my moniker contains the words "go", "OD", "us" "heist", "he", "ist" and "is", not to mention "I".

Banno's real name is simply 'Ban'. He was born only to ban people on internet forums. Which apparently he can do in the absence of mod powers. But, because he is Australian, where we add an 'o' to the end of every name, he is now Banno. True story.

In surfing around in this forum, I don’t much see jamalrob, its putative owner, but I often see you. The most conspicuous members of an oligarchy, v — Todd Martin

@Bannos not a mod. If you'd like to speak to @jamalrob, he's too important, working at the international TPF headquarters in Kennebunkport, but @Baden is his manservant and will be happy to assist you with whatever you need.

In American, StreetlightXO translates to Streetlight Hugs & Kisses. I guess you’re much warmer in person.

Are you saying I don't give off a hugs and kisses vibe?

Bannos not a mod. — Hanover

Good. My cover story is holding out. They haven't worked out my secret.

Is your real name Banno? — Todd Martin

See my profile picture. It's a common name Dow Nunder...

@Todd Martin :chin:

but Baden is his manservant and will be happy to assist you with whatever you need. — Hanover

Correction. Personservant.