Bunbury's guide to community disruptors part 4

[BarbaraStrozzi]

Thought it was time for another of these. I'll just cut-and-paste the opening of the last thread:

The useful Bunbury Guide to Spotting Community Disruptors is constantly evolving.

The best research and advice is not to engage with community disruptors and trolls. As ever, if you suspect troll activity, report it to MNHQ.

This is a continuation of the first Public Service Announcement thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3438714-Bunbury-s-Public-Service-Announcement-2

Thread 3 was deleted with this note from MNHQ; We're sure there will be a Bunbury 4 around soon, but we'd be grateful if we could draw a line under the issues raised in this thread if there's to be a new one.

If and when you see threads plopped into FWR, especially a curious repeat of well worn topics, maybe check for poster history before engaging.

There are a number of posts/posters/threads that are reproduced on Twitter or Facebook to foment controversy using screen shots & flagging to either MNHQ to have threads or posters deleted. Sometimes, it’s used to approach commissioning editors with ideas for articles. It’s a tiresome tactic that we’ve had several community disruptor posters who themselves post the comments that they then highlight elsewhere as purported evidence of racism, religious intolerance, anti-men sentiments, or transphobia.

Some helpful links can be found in the first posts on thread 2 (linked above) but in essence FermatsTheorem recommended “that in the absence of a block/hide poster button, I suggest the following strategy (given that you're talking to the lurkers).

Do not name check the sealion. Instead, respond to a depersonalised paraphrase:

"It is sometimes erroneously suggested that blah. Blah is wrong for the following reasons (short and pithy). If you need more information re. debunking blah, here's a link."

Then (this next step is important to combat derailment) go back up thread to the last useful contribution to the discussion, make sure you do name check that contributor, and pick up the discussion from that point.”

Checking in for duty and promising not to accidentally get this one deleted.

I've lurked previously and ended missing a lot, so saying hello, hoping to learn to spot disrupters as I've fallen for it in the past.

And here's another top tip: if a thread gets monopolised by one poster such that every other post/third post is by the same person, relentlessly pushing a contrarian view over a matter of hours, this poster is unlikely to be in good faith.

There are some who would argue that this is simply because it's hard pushing a contrary view in an environment that is hostile.

But they're wrong. Think about how someone in good faith who is genuinely heavily invested in an issue behaves when in an environment where they're not being listened to. (We've all been there - trying to explain a health condition to a bunch of people who think it's all in our mind, or an issue about our child's education where we know they have a specific learning difficulty, but the Daily Mail readers come out in force to insist we're just making excuses for them being thick and lazy, or a childbirth issue where HCPs failed us... plenty of examples).

You put your point across - you get belittled or ignored. You try again. You maybe get over-invested in the thread and lose your temper. Fairly soon, you get so upset you have to hide a thread.

What someone genuinely invested in an issue does not do in a contrarian environment is soldier on for hour after hour, repeating the same point, seemingly never getting tired, never trying a new tack, never getting upset, never actually engaging with the opposing point of view, simply repeating the same points like a stuck record. That is not the mark of someone genuinely pushing their view. That is the mark of someone who is getting off on deliberately shit stirring and disrupting.

Checking in, needed the reminder. Many thanks

Checking in!

That is not the mark of someone genuinely pushing their view. That is the mark of someone who is getting off on deliberately shit stirring and disrupting.

YY

Good morning everyone.

That is not the mark of someone genuinely pushing their view. That is the mark of someone who is getting off on deliberately shit stirring and disrupting.

Yep! It’s bloody frustrating to wade through too. I think most lurkers can see it for what it is, especially if they’ve been around these boards for a while.

Useful update with the last para.

Checking in too.

That is not the mark of someone genuinely pushing their view. That is the mark of someone who is getting off on deliberately shit stirring and disrupting.

This.

Stripper thread is a classic example.

The re-routing/dodging of attempted derails I learned here is popular and works. Bold and paste the last relevant post and stick with the original topic ignoring the disruptor.

💪

Yo 😎

Oooh tentacle ive got a latte as well!

Reporting for duty.

Stripper thread is a classic example.

The re-routing/dodging of attempted derails I learned here is popular and works. Bold and paste the last relevant post and stick with the original topic ignoring the disruptor.

I know - you are right of course but it was hard to resist. It was the lure of an old skool derailer - I got nostalgic.

I was a little fascinated tbh. Watching the misogyny spew out, then the denial. People are so unaware.

My post was picked apart lol

I couldn’t be arsed to answer

I don't think your post was picked apart LBD. That would imply that our new gyrating visitor had decent arguments. More that it was gish-galloped (buried under a huge avalanche of random and unrelated points in the hope that you'd give up).

These MRA types love a good Gish Gallop.

Bold and paste the last relevant post and stick with the original topic ignoring the disruptor.

Think I'll just print that out and mark it with highlighter before sticking it to the side of the laptop screen.

Good to be reminded of the collective experience.

That thread is such a stunning example of everything stated on this one - with a massive dose of woman hating and misogyny added in.

Gish gallop. That's interesting.

I'm guessing that, during an argument for being pro stripping, is where the accusation of middle management came in 😆