Public Service Announcement

[TensionWheelsCoolHeels]

When you see threads plopped into FWR, especially the curious repeat of well worn subjects, I recommend you check for poster history before engaging.

There are a number of posts/posters/threads being referenced on twitter with screen shots & flagging in either MNHQ or outlets to try & get articles commissioned.

I posted regretting it now.

Page 13 last time I looked. If only they applied that sort of persistence to actually helping men and boys...

Successful community disruptors are successful because they garner a disproportionate number of replies.

Yes. I just had an outburst. Sorry all.

I'm avoiding, now that I've invoked Bunbury. I wish saying her name 3 times made her actually appear...

I picture here as looking a bit like Granny Weatherwax, but with a fancier hat.

I posted again, I couldn't help it it's so frustrating.

Successful community disruptors are successful because they garner a disproportionate number of replies.

It's so blatant, isn't it? I reported first thing, thinking it was the midnight misogynist in action - NADA, zilch, crickets from the powers that be.

I couldn't help it it's so frustrating.

It's a very human response.

I like the research into community disruptors and altho' there is a lot wrong with algorithmic ways of identifying disruptors. One of the advantages is that it takes the human element out of it and prevents us from departing from guidelines and procedures that we know to be right (e.g., don't engage). A notable disadvantage is not only that algorithms can be gamed but that they take no account of our belief in human goodness or concerns for the lurkers/onlookers who might otherwise be persuaded (or whatever the justification is).

I don't subscribe to the lurker argument. For me, community disruption is vandalism and that doesn't encourage lurkers/visitors to dwell, it typically deters them and makes a public space seem unsafe. Much depends on the degree of vandalism and incivility. I may be very wrong about this.

Vandalism. That's the thing. Any thread in a feminist space which starts from the premise "feminism is wrong" is so obviously an act of vandalism and deliberate provocation that it's impossible to read it as anything other than started with malicious intent.

It's like going onto the religion section and starting a thread saying "only deluded idiots believe in sky fairies." Or going onto the LGB parenting section and starting a blatantly homophobic thread.

Vandalism. That's the thing. Any thread in a feminist space which starts from the premise "feminism is wrong" is so obviously an act of vandalism and deliberate provocation that it's impossible to read it as anything other than started with malicious intent.

YES. The temptation just to respond to the OP 'Well, don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out' was strong with me.

Once you've read one "I was totes a feminist until this one woman said something mean" thread you've read them all really.

Glad to see that this has been well and truly nailed.So many thoughtful and sincere answers despite this fairly early on in the thread:
Feminists teach boys that the only personal qualities of value are kindness and compassion. All other qualities (competition, ambition, standing up for themselves) are to be suppressed for fear of becoming an oppressor and a monster - said no feminist ever......

It's this month's TRA tactic. 'I WAS a supporter of you all until you said/ did/ believed x' (check your values, can I shame you out of caring about women/safeguarding/ reality/ other people/ having a brain/ etc?)

Yeah, no.

It seems to go hand in hand with the stuck belief that if you find you hold a belief or value that someone popular for being unpopular also holds, you must instantly change that belief or value to align with someone popular or you're doomed. (Gosh you can't wear that, SHE wears that and you know what they all think of her! It'll contaminate you!) Most people seem to manage to grow out of this by about fifteen ffs.

The ops first post on that thread didn't even make sense. What made him suddenly believe in feminism? He suddenly stopped believing in women's rights because feminists didn't say enough nice things about men. What?

I realize he's just a goady fucker now.

Probably read one of those "feminism is about pole dancing being empowering" articles and got all excited, only to have the dream crushed.

Well, I will just say, I read the title and then avoided the the thread like the plague. Reminded me of war vet Walter Sobchak‘s line in Big Lebowski. ‚I, too dabbled in pacificm once‘. Substitute pacificm with feminism and it sums OP up. I bet he looks and talks like Walter, too.

I was picturing John Leguizamo polishing his balls...

I'll be honest, the liberal use of the word 'empowerment' was the giveaway for me, but i do subscribe to the 'think about the lurkers' position largely because I used to be one.

So many tedious wankers we're going to need a new thread soon!

Indeed!

Predict we might fill this up by the end of the weekend.

I know we have a range of perspectives on this.

I'm with the research and the "Don't engage" school of thought. I acknowledge that the research may not be anywhere near comprehensive enough and there are contexts in which I may well be very wrong.

Those of you who don't see vandalism, but an opportunity for engagement - what is your perspective on what the engagement achieves overall?

I've been getting lectured about how my not wanting to engage apparently prevents other people from engaging today? Honestly not sure what's going on with that. Some people seem to want to give even the most obvious GFs the benefit of the doubt. They can if they like, I'm not going to.

I'm not lecturing anyone. I'm also not giving anyone the benefit of the doubt- one poster in particular is quite a determined twister of anything and I don't believe they are in good faith at all.

From my perspective I've read MN for years, through all sorts of life changes, and I read FWR for a long time, trying to understand the issues. I could spot the GFs a mile off, but their threads were often useful in teasing out the nuanced answers that helped me to deal with my own questions and subsequently the questions of others. I know quite a few people in RL who like to 'play devils advocate ' which can be intensely annoying at times but I am better equipped to answer them because of dealing with goady fuckery on here, and I've been able to adjust my presentation to fence sitters too.