April 6, 2013
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Attack Blogging Rules of the Road
I was going to post my trading update, but I’ll do that later….
Blogging rules to live/attack by:
1. If someone leaves a comment that isn’t intentionally “trollish” that you may not agree with, you can either
A) Call out the points in the comment that you disagree with and address your counter point. (adult method)
B) Ignore it. (adult method)
C) Be condescendingly dismissive. (immature method)
D) Attempt to squash a person dead by showing vast superiority in knowledge with the intention of trying to embarrass/humiliate them in the process. (aggressive/arrogant immaturity)
Now I’ve seen lead off replies with the A, B , and C variety of responses, but it’s a rare occurrence for someone to go straight to a “Defcon 1″ D level attack, but I’ve experienced one this week.
I’m not typically in “battle mode” so at first I didn’t even recognize the initial response as such an attack. After all you don’t expect responses like that when one thinks they are engaged in friendly conversation. So my reply was based on a face value question rather than regarding it as an assault on my abilities or intelligence.
However, internally a flag was raised that something didn’t feel “right”, but I had no reason to expect such an attack so it wasn’t registering.
Anyways, I wasn’t sure so I moved on to other things, and then later on this person posts another entry with the sole purpose of discussing highlighting the attack made that supposedly “put me in my place”, and giving themselves a pat on the back in the process.
Of course I see this because I’m subscribed to this person.
So that cleared things up right away and removed all uncertainties about what happened. Now I’m doubly irritated since I find the original attack unwarranted, childish, hella rude, and now to top it off, a “high five” post is created celebrating my supposed “squishing”- with a double shot of arrogance knowing that I’m going to see it as well.
Now if this “mental giant” had taken the time to visit my blog, they would know I’m not a shrinking violet when it comes to internet disagreements/arguments. Which brings us to the next rule:
2) If you post a gloat over your attempt to trash someone and they are a subscriber, it should be obvious that the “trashee” will see it so you should probably EXPECT some type of response.
If that’s not asking “Bring it!”, I don’t know what is.
And that’s exactly what I did- leaving a comment on that “high five” post calling out the rude behavior, expressing disappointment at such a low level response and surprise that it’s being “celebrated” as if their actions were something to be proud of.
Okay so this “tough” person who has been talking a good game now has me right where they presumably want me, so they can now let me have it with both barrels….
Instead, this would be “people squisher” turns tail and de-subcribes me rather than attempt to mow me down with their “vaunted” intellect.
Big talk, no action. Which brings us the following Rules:
3) If you’re attempting to step on someone, be sure it’s with your OWN shoes, not those you’re trying to borrow from others who have accomplished more (as if cred and skills transfer by osmosis).
4) If called out on your rude actions and “gloats” by the target of your amusement you can either
A) Walk your talk and “Bring it!”
B) Admit your error – hey, we all make mistakes.
C) Avoid confrontation when you realize the “target” isn’t intimidated and now you’ll have to prove just how “superior” you are.
Seems to me that those who chose option “C” would be better off not trying to show off by making waves in the first place.
I really have little patience for arrogant folks, especially those who can’t back up their bravado. People like that are better off on “friends lock” so they can control and protect their environment from the harsh world of REALITY.
Comments (17)
I think attack posts are the ones that really turn me off the most to blogging. I love sharing ideas, debating, and having constructive discussions. But attack posts are just mean, spiteful, and serve no beneficial purpose.
@soullfire – I try my hardest not to make call out blogs. Last week or 2, I had to deal with somebody calling me out, in a sense, about giving her constructive criticism on her page.
@firetyger - Very true, a waste of time and such a move is more of a reflection of the faults and insecurities of the attacker rather than their target, especially if it backfires. The only purpose it can serve is to make them feel good at another’s expense. Just another form of attempted bullying, which is sad when you realize it’s coming from an adult rather than a child.
@RealistMe - Constructive criticism is a good thing, but some people people perceive any criticism as a personal attack. None of us know everything so we should open to suggestions. It could help trigger additional ideas. I reserve call out blogs only for special cases where the behavior is sufficiently rude/arrogant to inspire me to make one. =)
@SoullFire - Yeah, I know what you mean.
I agree. People should be open to discourse, but if they can’t be mature about it, then it isn’t worth pursuing. I like the points that you made. (I will go and self-reflect if I have ever done it.) -_-
I just randomly ran across this post, but I wanted to say that I totally agree. I don’t have the time or patience to sit around and fight on the internet, but if someone wants to have an intellectual conversation or a mature debate, I am totally game. But a lot of people just want to puff up their chest and make everyone think they’re the baddest, smartest shit ever.
I usually take the “ignore” approach. The problem with ignoring a troll or an attack directed at you, is that the attacker then gets the false idea that they have “triumphed” over you, and that your silence is due to them putting you in your place.
But maybe that’s not so bad…the analogy I use is let’s say you have a 3-year-old cousin and he wants to play Batman. He, of course, is Batman and you are the bad guy. So he shoots you with his laser gun. You, being the mature adult, could put up a fight, or get seriously offended and punch the kid, but you realize that the best thing to do is just fall on the floor and pretend you’re dead. This way, everybody wins: you no longer have to play the game and can move on, and your little cousin thinks he is THE SHIT and that he’s beat you. So just let the little guy believe he’s Batman for a few hours…you are the bigger person, and furthermore, he probably still wets the bed
That’s how I like to think of internet trolls. Let’s just let them think they’re Batman for awhile 
#3 – LOL!!
There really is no reason to be arrogant or to act that way. It gets you nowhere, except in politics and popularity contests where the masses tend to believe the bird that can puff up the bigger chest for show.
@Tooty_fruits - Or a corollary would be if someone wants to pick a fight in a crowd, they better come prepared to dance. =)
@hot_metalhead - I agree with your analogy and would have let this “3 year old Batman” have their way, but then they raised it up a bar or two with the secondary post. My analogy is like this – let’s say you’re having a conversation about rare cars with someone in a group. Out of the blue they ask what kind of car do you drive, and you answer. Then they say “oh”, and move on. You don’t think anything, but a little voice inside tells you that might have been a dig, but you’re not sure because you don’t move around in those “snubbery” circles. Anyway, you decide to just ignore it, but then you’re at another meeting where you see the person telling a group of people (some mutual friends) that they had “slammed” you and it was “tragic” you had to be “embarrassed” in front of others like that for thinking you could have a conversation about cars with this person, who drives something much nicer than your “standard” car. As if the price one pays for their car has ANY relevance in the knowledge of cars!
Since the topic is rare cars that people aren’t familiar with, it’s easy to for the person to dupe their friends (and mine) into thinking they indeed put me in my place since many aren’t familiar with it. So when I saw that “bragging” at my expense I said “Oh, hell no!” and decided to wake “Little Batman” up from their fantasy and set the record straight. =)
Since the offender and I do have mutual subscribers/friends I’m sure the person will likely get wind of this post, and they are more than welcome to “Bring it!” over here and be “Batman” if they desire to back up their snub talk. That is, after they put on a pair of fresh diapers.
@consignedhearts111 - That’s what I think happened now that I look back – I dared to leave a comment that they felt threatened to take the spotlight away from all their preening. The ironic thing was my comment was actually a compliment but it clearly went over that person’s head who must have felt the need to attack because of that. I guess I should have “dumbed it down” to the “you’re so cool!” posts they are used to getting (with this person’s constant fishing for it). =)
@SoullFire - Haha, I was going to work diapers in there somewhere. But yeah, sometimes it’s just too ridiculous/annoying to ignore. People are really big shit when they’re sitting in front of their computer screen typing. Sometimes I used to get in occasional verbal catfights with stupid Lovelyish commenters. This one girl, on some post about plus size clothing or something like that, basically wrote a whole paragraph about how I was fat and lazy and then said “bye now, I’m going out for my daily run.” I was beyond seething. What a dumb bitch. And of course, she was on friends lock. GO FIGURE. If anyone ever says anything like that to my face in person, they had better hope they can run really fast!
@hot_metalhead - Yeah, people tend to be “warlords” when behind a keyboard that they wouldn’t dare say to someone in person. She never met you so how could she possibly know how you look or how you are- another keyboard “big shot”. A one on one attack is easier to ignore, but when done in front of a crowd (internet or real), it makes it harder to just walk away.
Oh please this a poorly written pile of cow poop. Obviously the work of a mindless little twit
Was that good
@trunthepaige - Haha, no, actually that falls under a just a level “C” attack. To get to level”D” , you have to say something like “I went the the Haaaarvard School of writing/blogging, and have Ivy League friends who are famous authors. So how could you, a mere “public schooler”, know anything about writing a blog?”
@SoullFire - You are so right I left out the arrogant self praising part
lol worddd.
some pple just dont have a life outside of their computer so they need to find places to show off or get attention and that is where the interweb comes in. i do myself a favor and ignore because those people are self righteous and they always need the last say, even when they are not right.
quote to live by online: ”Arguing online is like the special olympics – even if you win, you’re still retarded” :D
@radio03 - Lol, yeah, I usually try to take the high road, but this was more than a typical argument over a subject – it was a direct personal attack meant to build the other up at my expense in front of people we mutually know. The depth of the attack was equivalent to someone saying they are your superior and you have no right to offer any opinion – and the topic is a subject you are VERY familiar with, because they want to look good.
The question becomes do I let this person allow people to think they know more than me when they clearly don’t and undermine my own reputation? Two words – “Hell no!” =)
The person made a fatal mistake when they confused fantasy with reality in thinking they could dominate me in an area I only happen to blog about 90% of the time. That’s also why I suspect they had no will to fight, it is they who have a fear of being embarrassed after starting something they can’t finish without revealing their true knowledge, which I’m guessing isn’t much just catch words to pass around at dinner parties for self inflation.