Gov Internet Shills.

[quintessentone]

He’s only clarifying what he meant after I did the same. You try to make it sound like I can’t  understand what he originally said in the first place. You’re the one with that issue.

I never replied to you at all. I only replied to Kurokage to agree with his assessment. You were not involved at all in our exchange why you think you were is beyond me. And why you had to jump in between our postings is also beyond reason because it wasn't about you.

[KrustyKrab]

It might have been because a few idiots started throwing it around at people purely because they didn't agree with their response.

…..and then there’s people here that actually are shills/trolls, they’ll toe the line no matter how ridiculous or messed up it is. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see it Kurokage.   But I suppose if it always gives one the confirmation bias they desire it may be harder for them to see the real motives and intentions behind those “responses”.   

I personally enjoy debate and hashing thru disagreements in a civil manner but trolls don’t want that.  They want to create conflict even when proven wrong, that’s when their tactics usually become more reckless and desperate or they leave the discussion, they all act differently albeit with some blaring similarities.  No doubt that some are better at it than others, most of the ones here suck at it, it’s more akin to talking to a toddler having a temper tantrum than it is any resemblance of an intellectual conversation.

[KrustyKrab]

I never replied to you at all. I only replied to Kurokage to agree with his assessment. You were not involved at all in our exchange why you think you were is beyond me. And why you had to jump in between our postings is also beyond reason because it wasn't about you.

Ummmm I hate to break it to you but it’s a public forum, it happens all the time. There’s always personal DM’s if it’s such a private conversation.

[Maxmars]

Sometimes I get confused...

Trolling as a behavior, is not the same as 'being a government troll'... which has an agenda.

You guys have  been 'trolling' each other non-stop...

but... your not government trolls are you?

Of course not... we could tell... yes?

As a professional 'task' trolling would require "hiding"... wouldn't it?
"Pretending the user is" a real person, not some employee or operative... yes?

You best be well paid... because any anonymous employment is a big hazard.

Anyway...  Trolls... the human-cultivated persona kind... won't "fit in" here...
Bot are hunted and ejected.
Irritant intent is exposure...

All that work... what for?... just to piss us off?

Most times the accusation is another surrender to opposition...
kill the messenger.

It's funny... if you can muster the dispassion...
watching folks disagree,
and then call each other out as a troll, or shill...

proceeding naturally to more trolling behavior towards each other...


Then a site "troll-mod" comes in and posts... "Stay on Topic!"  don't make it about who you are talking to.

and everyone rolls their eyes....

Unless of course you'd rather a formal warn... I mean ... one could collect those, yeah?


(How's that for an On-Topic/Off-Topic post?  Part PSA, part... "Get a room!"... 
The PM systems works...
use it to hash out a manner of discourse that isn't like watching an argument at the dinner table.)

[KrustyKrab]

Sometimes I get confused...

Trolling as a behavior, is not the same as 'being a government troll'... which has an agenda.

You guys have  been 'trolling' each other non-stop...

but... your not government trolls are you?

Of course not... we could tell... yes?

As a professional 'task' trolling would require "hiding"... wouldn't it?
"Pretending the user is" a real person, not some employee or operative... yes?

You best be well paid... because any anonymous employment is a big hazard.

Anyway...  Trolls... the human-cultivated persona kind... won't "fit in" here...
Bot are hunted and ejected.
Irritant intent is exposure...

All that work... what for?... just to piss us off?

Most times the accusation is another surrender to opposition...
kill the messenger.

It's funny... if you can muster the dispassion...
watching folks disagree,
and then call each other out as a troll, or shill...

proceeding naturally to more trolling behavior towards each other...


Then a site "troll-mod" comes in and posts... "Stay on Topic!"  don't make it about who you are talking to.

and everyone rolls their eyes....

Unless of course you'd rather a formal warn... I mean ... one could collect those, yeah?


(How's that for an On-Topic/Off-Topic post?  Part PSA, part... "Get a room!"... 
The PM systems works...
use it to hash out a manner of discourse that isn't like watching an argument at the dinner table.)

Yeah but there’s no denying the fact we have agenda driven trolls here.  Are they gov or personal trolls is debatable but their purpose and intent is real, as is the fatigue that goes with it. There’s not a lot of difference in the label for people on the receiving end.   I use to ignore them but since it’s been allowed to continue unabated,  I’m retired and bored, I’ll play.   JS

[ANNEE]

Yeah but there’s no denying the fact we have agenda driven trolls here.  Are they gov or personal trolls is debatable but their purpose and intent is real, as is the fatigue that goes with it. There’s not a lot of difference in the label for people on the receiving end.   I use to ignore them but since it’s been allowed to continue unabated,  I’m retired and bored, I’ll play.   JS

I've been called Troll (and other) so many times over the years . . . because . . . 

I have a different opinion than Right Wingers.

OMG -- what is my intent -- what is my agenda?  

I shall continue unabated with my perspective on matters I'm interested in.

[Maxmars]

Yeah but there’s no denying the fact we have agenda driven trolls here.  Are they gov or personal trolls is debatable but their purpose and intent is real as is the fatigue that goes with it. There’s not a lot of difference in the label for people on the receiving end.   I use to ignore them but since it’s been allowed to continue unabated,  I’m retired and bored, I’ll play.   JS

That's cool....

I get the perception, but to actually dig and craft a case for that 'label' as an attribute of a member is no casual thing.

Clearly, (at least I hope) Deny Ignorance does not allow that kind of "membership" here. 
Perhaps a quick review of the Terms and Conditions of membership demonstrate such behavior and misuse of this platform is both prohibited and will be dealt with immediately.

DI is not a place to exploit... only to discuss... it's for the community, not the 'machine.'

However, it can't be avoided that all people have a topic or a momentary fixation on something that evokes an inner activist, zealot, even shill....

It is easy to evoke... especially if you associate a virtue position to a profession, an 'behavioral attribute' to a group, and almost any generalization you can think of... each I think is likely to light a fuse in someone.

It's a common sensitivity I believe we, for the most part, all share.

Sometime each moderator here notes and brings a discussion to our attention... very frequently, since neither party is actually registering a complaint, we opt to 'wait and see' if the energy dissipates... (it's a 50-50 bet)

Most often, especially where partisan fever strikes, no one ever complains to us... 

Moderation is a member activity... not a power, not a privilege, not something that detracts from the fact that we too, are members, have opinions, and can speak... we're all different... and we are not babysitters... we don't hunt for infractions... we haven't the manpower to scrub every utterance for spurious potential problems... (that's a job for the thought police.)

While the spirit is willing, we continue supporting the community... which was never perfect in the first place...

DI is a work in progress... 
I would ask for suggestions... but I'm not the right guy to hear them...
and we are still scrounging up a viable future for DI...

We will... because we can... because you're worth it.

Please do stick around... make it all worth the community's while.

Because the community is worth it too.

[KrustyKrab]

I've been called Troll (and other) so many times over the years . . . because . . . 

I have a different opinion than Right Wingers.

OMG -- what is my intent -- what is my agenda?  

I shall continue unabated with my perspective on matters I'm interested in.

Sorry to hear that Annee. I’ve never considered you a troll nor have I ever called you a troll. We rarely agree but I’ve never thought of you that way.  Have a Merry Christmas!

[ANNEE]

Sorry to hear that Annee. I’ve never considered you a troll nor have I ever called you a troll. We rarely agree but I’ve never thought of you that way.  Have a Merry Christmas!

Thank you -- and Merry Christmas to you.

I do try to be logical in my posts.

Let me commend DI -- for their efforts to keep the "board" balanced.

Personal attacks are far less than 'before".

[KrustyKrab]

That's cool....

I get the perception, but to actually dig and craft a case for that 'label' as an attribute of a member is no casual thing.

Clearly, (at least I hope) Deny Ignorance does not allow that kind of "membership" here. 
Perhaps a quick review of the Terms and Conditions of membership demonstrate such behavior and misuse of this platform is both prohibited and will be dealt with immediately.

DI is not a place to exploit... only to discuss... it's for the community, not the 'machine.'

However, it can't be avoided that all people have a topic or a momentary fixation on something that evokes an inner activist, zealot, even shill....

It is easy to evoke... especially if you associate a virtue position to a profession, an 'behavioral attribute' to a group, and almost any generalization you can think of... each I think is likely to light a fuse in someone.

It's a common sensitivity I believe we, for the most part, all share.

Sometime each moderator here notes and brings a discussion to our attention... very frequently, since neither party is actually registering a complaint, we opt to 'wait and see' if the energy dissipates... (it's a 50-50 bet)

Most often, especially where partisan fever strikes, no one ever complains to us... 

Moderation is a member activity... not a power, not a privilege, not something that detracts from the fact that we too, are members, have opinions, and can speak... we're all different... and we are not babysitters... we don't hunt for infractions... we haven't the manpower to scrub every utterance for spurious potential problems... (that's a job for the thought police.)

While the spirit is willing, we continue supporting the community... which was never perfect in the first place...

DI is a work in progress... 
I would ask for suggestions... but I'm not the right guy to hear them...
and we are still scrounging up a viable future for DI...

We will... because we can... because you're worth it.

Please do stick around... make it all worth the community's while.

Because the community is worth it too.

Agreed and I appreciate your sensible input and understanding on the subject.  

For the most part DI is a very comfortable place to be. I was on ATS for 20 years and had some amazing conversations over there especially in the earlier days as I have had here also and hope it can continue.   I realize there’s always going to be bad apples no matter.  Sadly, it only takes one to have a detrimental effect on the whole community.