Subject:
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Re: Remember the Axis of Evil?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sat, 6 Dec 2003 21:10:23 GMT
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Viewed:
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253 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Thomas Stangl wrote:
> Well, if you can prove any of that wrong, then it's a troll, I suppose.
>
> But since you can't, then it's not a troll.
I would disagree. Even if the sentiment in question is undeniably true, it can
still be annoying behaviour to repeat it over and over and not add any other
value.
Suppose someone (0) constructed an automaton so that it once an hour posted "the
sky is green and the sun rises in the west" to off-topic.debate. Some might
argue the point but not for long, as soon as they realised it was the same
assertion being repeated without much else behind it, they would get
annoyed/frustrated/bored and stop responding. Some would characterise this
automaton as a troll.
It would not be valid for anyone to then assert "the sky MUST be green, because
no one is refuting the assertion that it is".
Now suppose that this particular someone modified their automaton so that it
once an hour posted "the sky is blue and the sun rises in the east" to
off-topic.debate... (and perhaps used a different userid so it wasn't instantly
recognisable as the automaton from above.)
Those facts are irrefutably true if we speak of Earth at this time in this
reality, yet the readership would quickly get annoyed, and probably stop
responding in this case as well. Some would quibble that it wasn't a troll
because it was asserting something true, but some might hold that it doesn't
matter.
I submit to you that much of what gets posted here tends to be so repetitive
that it doesn't always get refuted in detail (or supported in detail, as the
case may be, flavor to taste) each time it gets posted. (1)
Note carefully that I am not singling anyone in particular out, as I think many
of us have our favorite hobby horses that we like to ride from time to time.
Although some of us arguably are more accomplished riders than others. :-)
Note also that in the above argument I do not make any statement about the truth
value of the statement in question. (2)
0 - this is a thought experiment, doing this is a ToS violation, I think, and
I'm certainly not advocating it!
1 - "anti abortion/pro choice", "there is/isn't a god", "gun control is a
good/bad idea", "Bush II is a liar/creep/miserable failure/moron/danger to
society/reactionaries wet dream (3)" and etc.
2 - unless you want me to, in which case I will
3 - erp, I may have let my feelings slip through there by not giving any other
choices....
++Lar
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