Watch out for your jobs, folks!
February 17, 2004 12:44 AM Subscribe
Watch out for your jobs, folks! Apparently, if you criticize this site, or expose/ridicule members... they will break the unspoken rule of the web and try and take this into the personal realm with threats, posting your personal info, and contacting your employers. If you're into flame wars and train wrecks... this one has it all.
This post was deleted for the following reason: I don't want to help spread a pissing match
ditto
posted by johnny novak at 1:50 AM on February 17, 2004
posted by johnny novak at 1:50 AM on February 17, 2004
"Oh, look at me, I'm being persecuted by people I can't stop taunting!"
Someone needs to be honest with themselves here. It has nothing to do with the politics. It has little to do with taking it to RL, although that's lame and despicable.
They live to troll and flame and playing the victim's just another tactic. I spent years on alt.flame, I know all about it. There comes a point in a flame war where it's no longer possible to "win" it and they're all WAY past that point.
p.t. aka Grand Wombat, Clueless Newbie, Clueless Wombat Cabal - meow
posted by pyramid termite at 4:50 AM on February 17, 2004
Someone needs to be honest with themselves here. It has nothing to do with the politics. It has little to do with taking it to RL, although that's lame and despicable.
They live to troll and flame and playing the victim's just another tactic. I spent years on alt.flame, I know all about it. There comes a point in a flame war where it's no longer possible to "win" it and they're all WAY past that point.
p.t. aka Grand Wombat, Clueless Newbie, Clueless Wombat Cabal - meow
posted by pyramid termite at 4:50 AM on February 17, 2004
No medium holds a grudge better than the Internet. Has MetaFilter ever inspired this kind of obsessively documented wrath from an ex-member?
posted by rcade at 5:00 AM on February 17, 2004
posted by rcade at 5:00 AM on February 17, 2004
rcade: No. never. We have no idea what you're talking about. In fact, there's not even a we and I have no idea what you're talking about when you imply there is, or ever was, a "we". So your answer is "blue" (as it has always been) now please drop the issue and move on before we have to. . . um, call your mother.
posted by tiamat at 5:16 AM on February 17, 2004
posted by tiamat at 5:16 AM on February 17, 2004
There comes a point in a flame war where it's no longer possible to "win" it and they're all WAY past that point.
Oh, I agree 100%.
I think this one past that point months ago.
And in stuff like this this, there is no "innocent party", just a matter of "who is less guilty".
But the question is, do people deserve to worry about losing thier jobs over silly web arguments... and how does it escalate into this?
posted by EricBrooksDotCom at 6:05 AM on February 17, 2004
Oh, I agree 100%.
I think this one past that point months ago.
And in stuff like this this, there is no "innocent party", just a matter of "who is less guilty".
But the question is, do people deserve to worry about losing thier jobs over silly web arguments... and how does it escalate into this?
posted by EricBrooksDotCom at 6:05 AM on February 17, 2004
No, people shouldn't lose their jobs over stuff like this - especially if they're not doing it on their employer's dime or representing them.
It escalates into this because people will do anything to "win" an argument - or because people will lie about anything to win it.
I don't have an informed opinion on this controversy, but people have made false claims before about "someone's trying to get me fired" - it could be the truth, or a very effective troll. I've seen both occur.
posted by pyramid termite at 6:21 AM on February 17, 2004
It escalates into this because people will do anything to "win" an argument - or because people will lie about anything to win it.
I don't have an informed opinion on this controversy, but people have made false claims before about "someone's trying to get me fired" - it could be the truth, or a very effective troll. I've seen both occur.
posted by pyramid termite at 6:21 AM on February 17, 2004
Has MetaFilter ever inspired this kind of obsessively documented wrath from an ex-member?
There are no ex-members. Now, obsessively documented wrath from members, that is another story.
posted by dg at 6:45 AM on February 17, 2004
There are no ex-members. Now, obsessively documented wrath from members, that is another story.
posted by dg at 6:45 AM on February 17, 2004
There are no ex-members.
MetaFilter: You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.
posted by spazzm at 7:21 AM on February 17, 2004
MetaFilter: You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.
posted by spazzm at 7:21 AM on February 17, 2004
Similar thing happened on kuro5hin.org a year or so ago. A feud broke over into real life, where a small group of trolls would phone up this guy's wife and mother and threaten them.
Best to preserve your online anonymity if you can. Not always as easy as it sounds sometimes.
On the other hand, the same site had someone make up an imaginary stalker for his own purposes. Don't know how much this guy is exaggerating it, or if he was really at risk of being fired.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 9:21 AM on February 17, 2004
Best to preserve your online anonymity if you can. Not always as easy as it sounds sometimes.
On the other hand, the same site had someone make up an imaginary stalker for his own purposes. Don't know how much this guy is exaggerating it, or if he was really at risk of being fired.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 9:21 AM on February 17, 2004
Gee, anonymity of site owners could be a tricksy subject if the new law regarding truth in site registration goes through.
If you falsify registration data to preserve anonymity (not to mention spam control), then potentially some obsessive troll type could get you a helping helping of trouble for it. If you don't, then it's all the easier to be harassed.
Oh, well...
posted by Samizdata at 10:49 AM on February 17, 2004
If you falsify registration data to preserve anonymity (not to mention spam control), then potentially some obsessive troll type could get you a helping helping of trouble for it. If you don't, then it's all the easier to be harassed.
Oh, well...
posted by Samizdata at 10:49 AM on February 17, 2004
But the question is, do people deserve to worry about losing thier jobs over silly web arguments...
Have you ever heard of anyone losing their job over an off-line argument that had nothing to do with their employer? I wonder when it became ok to try to get someone fired over an argument , be it on the web or elsewhere.
posted by Kare at 10:51 AM on February 17, 2004
Have you ever heard of anyone losing their job over an off-line argument that had nothing to do with their employer? I wonder when it became ok to try to get someone fired over an argument , be it on the web or elsewhere.
posted by Kare at 10:51 AM on February 17, 2004
« Older Get out of the Crimson room | vive la difference Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
ummm okay...
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 1:32 AM on February 17, 2004