to think MNers can be better than this

[IceBeing]

OPs may be ignorant, they maybe obtuse, they may be in the wrong and they may be trolls...

but how can dozens upon dozens of swearing riddled instructions to carry out intimate acts be considered a reasonable response?

For some people MN is the first forum they frequent. It is perfectly possible to post something that is innocently ignorant yet massively outrageous to MNers. Then suddenly you are being called all the names under the sun and told to fuck yourself preferably until dead? really?

Believe me it can be a massive shock that people say things on the internet they would never say in real life. It is possible to feel very very frightened and threatened by such an onslaught.

AIBU to think if the last 5 posters have covered the 'fuck off to the far side of fuck' angle then maybe you don't need to stick the boot in too?

The best case scenario is that the person on the other end is indeed a troll....in which case why are you giving them what they want?

What this thread actually brings out are people who have a different belief in how best to handle Trolls. I think all of us want them removed, yes they are toxic and can reel people in. I have been online since pre-web days, the old days of Newsgroups, egroups etc. and have seen some nasty Trolling. I have seen groups implode with Troll hunting and become unusable. I have also been on groups that were so tightly moderated it was like trying to live in a stalinist state and no fun at all .

I like MN because of the light hand in terms of moderation, I think the rules are pretty sensible and the bare minimum needed to allow for fun and support but preventing anarchy. I don't think it's helpful when people try to subvert those rules and I think some of the subversion of the rules is positively damaging to both individuals and the site.

As Rowan has pointed out, when you see an OP and think "Troll" it might actually be a MNHQer who has NCd to get a bit of support (never mind some poor newbie). Surely that should make people think twice about laying into them? Being a 'reg' does not make you infallible.

I agree catrus

I don't think it's helpful to stereotype people as grudge-holders or reg-bashers

I'm a regular

No I'm not saying that. I wasn't even referring to your posts.

If you can't see the agenda behind some of the posts on this thread then you must be blind.

i can see an agenda behind some of the posts. not all

Dear god is this still going on.... Yawn or what....

I'm not blind and why would you think someone is a grudge holder just because they hold a different view?

minnie don't let us keep you up....

I don't.

If MNHQ added the category of "suspected Troll" to their report categories - above or below the 'spam' category - then I would expect their "behind the scenes software system" could trigger swifter action when a large number of people report the same OP with the same suspicions. visions of bells going off, red lights flashing and klaxons sounding-

If they don't have a system able to do that simple filtering they need to get Tech onto it. You really do need a lot of automated response option when a site gets this big

If people report not react then the Troll doesn't get fed and swifter action can be taken. If people treat the suspected Troll as potentially genuine then helpful information can still be put out there. Lurkers won't be scared off and the Troll will starve to death.

See ice, I'm not a troll

or am I ?

can someone tell me what my agenda is?

would love to know....oh wait I do know.

I would like lynchings to stop.

I'm not even talking about you, Ice.

I can see your point to a degree, but I still think that disabilist trolls need to be told to fuck off.

rowan slapping the wrist of every name caller on a troll thread would a) be hard, b) wouldn't send the public no troll hunting message.

I would suggest adding the troll hunting reminder to the thread closure notice.

A "you were lucky and got this one right...what about next time? PLEASE FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES" type message.

disablist anyone needs banning....let alone trolls.

and they are! The lynching is unnecessary, counter productive and dangerous when mis-directed.

I am a paranoid OP....I tend to think unattributed comments are aimed at me if I am the OP... and sometimes even when I am not the OP

'I get you OP. I'd much rather a troll was ignored & think they're often more acceptable than some of the replies.

Although I think it's quite funny to watch - it's like a bit of online Attenborough.

Once one of the so-called "MN Royalty" posts a pithy one liner, the rest of their "gang" regard that as their cue to start jostling for position as "Bitch in Waiting". Once the floodgates are open, the feeding frenzy begins & that's it.

Of course, they sometimes get it wrong & shred an innocent - but it doesn't matter because Might Makes Right & they're Regoolarz Innit?'

There you go. little example of the reg-bashing.

I am genuinely startled that people are accusing me of being disablist.

I have always been on the right side of buggy/wheelchair debates...I gave people a massive 3 day earful over the 'special cinema viewings' threads....as far as I know I have never posted even once in a way that could be construed as disablist.

Or is it disablist now to think that parents of disabled children should also have to abide by the MN rules?

You seem to have trouble understanding shades of grey.

For a long time parents of SN children have felt that posters don't back them up against disablist posts on MN.

I think a lot of posters on that thread were showing support. A little robustly, but support none the less.

In general terms I hate the pile ins though.

Children with SN*

I guess I am relatively new to MN...I feel like I see most disablist comments challenged almost immediately....

It is harder to deal with the complete blank that some people seem to draw on the issue though...genuine MNers who just cannot wrap their heads around the idea that they aren't entitled to live in a world without disabilities in it...oh and the people who think having children qualifies at the same level...

But I have seen those people converted! It works....pointing out the differences...explaining.

It's very heartening to see how many MNers object to the piling-in.

Let's hope MNHQ hear our voices.

Just to be clear. I don't object to piling in when it's an obvious troll.

But that is troll hunting.

Which is against talk guidelines.