Just a question, "inappropriate" reaction to a post

[KanryDrago]

21 minutes ago, Phil Deakins said:

Some people use the laugh as scorn. The main one has been mentioned in this thread, but other, usually nice, people sometimes use it that way. Imo, it's a despicable practise, but it isn't against the forum rules/guidelines. However, if a person 'stalked' another person, by using the laugh on every post the victim makes, or even an inordinately high number of the posts the victim makes, then, imo, it would be seen as harrassment and dealt with as such, even if the dealing with it only told the perpetrator to stop doing it.

if a person makes posts which always require the scorn icon then i see no reason why it is harassment to give it to them. Having said that it only counts as not harassment if you scorn them for what they say and not just because its them. 

[Phil Deakins]

13 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

if a person makes posts which always require the scorn icon then i see no reason why it is harassment to give it to them

That's something that doesn't happen, so it would be an exception if it ever occured. In fact, it's very rare that a post here merits scorn. So rare that I can't remember ever having seen one.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Phil Deakins

[KanryDrago]

5 minutes ago, Phil Deakins said:

That's something that doesn't happen, so it would be an exception if it ever occured. In fact, it's very rare that a post here merits scorn. So rare that I can't remember ever having seen one.

Then you tolerate the terminally stupid far more than i do

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 hour ago, BilliJo Aldrin said:

No one deserves to be laughed at every single time, and I certainly wouldn't do it, but sometimes a laugh is truly the only response the person deserves.

Besides, laughing at everything a person said would lose its effectiveness as a show of disdain.

I don't know you, BilliJo, so I'm in no position to ascribe motives to you, and I don't have any sense of context here. But it seems to me a rather odd question ask.  The very fact that you do ask it suggests that you are aware that this might be over-the-top offensive.

Why would you want to explore your right to respond offensively?

Using a laugh emoticon as a means of showing scorn or disdain is, in my view, intellectually lazy and emotionally charged, as well as frankly narcissistic. It is nearly contentless: far from explaining why one feels a post is ridiculous or wrong, and providing useful and helpful correctives or perspective, it does nothing but register one's derision. And it does so in a way that establishes one's own supposed moral or intellectual "superiority." It's like articulating the rather arrogant assumption that it's somehow beneath the person registering scorn to explain their response.

Honestly, when people do this, it tells me a great deal more about them than it does about the person they are mocking.

Just a suggestion, then: if you are concerned that this will be offensive, why not just avoid doing it, and provide instead some actual guidance to the person with whom you disagree? If you do so in a measured and reasonable way, I can guarantee you that you won't be sanctioned for it.

[Profaitchikenz Haiku]

The terminally stupid tend to be short-lived, you can suffer them for short periods and hope that nature takes it's course

[Phil Deakins]

4 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

Then you tolerate the terminally stupid far more than i do

If I saw anyone who fits that description here, I would either tolerate them or avoid them. But there isn't anyone here who could be described that way. There are some who are very dislikeable, but none who are "terminally stupid".

[Scylla Rhiadra]

4 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

Then you tolerate the terminally stupid far more than i do

I understand this perspective, Kanry; I'm certainly not immune to becoming impatient and even abusive in the face of ongoing stupidity.

But there's surely a difference between stupidity and mere perverseness? Someone who is "stupid" is, quite literally, unable to do anything about that. It's like mocking someone for being born short.

Those who are capable of understanding, on the other hand . . . well, isn't it a better strategy to respond logically and rationally, in the hope that they will understand and benefit from your insights?

[Selene Gregoire]

1 hour ago, Callum Meriman said:

 

Oh, there are a few they could add...

🦇💩🤪 was used the other day, I loved that one.

That is incorrect. It was 🦇💩😵.

:whistles innocently:

[KanryDrago]

Just now, Scylla Rhiadra said:

I understand this perspective, Kanry; I'm certainly not immune to becoming impatient and even abusive in the face of ongoing stupidity.

But there's surely a difference between stupidity and mere perverseness? Someone who is "stupid" is, quite literally, unable to do anything about that. It's like mocking someone for being born short.

Those who are capable of understanding, on the other hand . . . well, isn't it a better strategy to respond logically and rationally, in the hope that they will understand and benefit from your insights?

There are people here who make suggestions, they do not bother to consider the implications of what they suggest and the fact that the likely effect would be to kill sl. I consider those people terminally stupid it is all "I want this and damn the consequences". It is the very definition of terminally stupid. To give an example I have seen here in the last couple of days the suggestion that tier for a sim should be reduced to 30$

[Scylla Rhiadra]

3 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

There are people here who make suggestions, they do not bother to consider the implications of what they suggest and the fact that the likely effect would be to kill sl. I consider those people terminally stupid it is all "I want this and damn the consequences". It is the very definition of terminally stupid. To give an example I have seen here in the last couple of days the suggestion that tier for a sim should be reduced to 30$

Sure, of course. That's a stupid suggestion, without question. But it doesn't follow that the person who made it is stupid, does it?

I consider myself at least moderately clever, but I say stupid things all the time. Who knows? Maybe even right now!

I guess my point is that if someone is literally "stupid," i.e., incapable of understanding, then it's really just sort of pointlessly cruel to mock them for that. And if they are not themselves stupid, it makes far more sense, and achieves more, to explain their mistake to them in a way that will make it clear to them, and that doesn't alienate them by being merely insulting.

[Selene Gregoire]

Some of us do have a bit of a twisted sense of humor and we do sometimes laugh at posts that weren't intended to be funny. Sometimes a post will seem to be intentionally humorous, then turns out to not be. I don't believe that people should be punished for having a different sense of humor.

[KanryDrago]

Just now, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Sure, of course. That's a stupid suggestion, without question. But it doesn't follow that the person who made it is stupid, does it?

I consider myself at least moderately clever, but I say stupid things all the time. Who knows? Maybe even right now!

I guess my point is that if someone is literally "stupid," i.e., incapable of understanding, then it's really just sort of pointlessly cruel to mock them for that. And if they are not themselves stupid, it makes far more sense, and achieves more, to explain their mistake to them in a way that will make it clear to them, and that doesn't alienate them by being merely insulting.

You are mistaking stupidity for intelligence here Scylla. Lots of extremely intelligent people are frighteningly stupid. They are the people who do things because they can instead of asking if they should. What you are describing is the mentally below average and no they shouldn't be mocked for it. Those that should know better but can't see beyond "I want" are the terminally stupid. It is not a judgement on their intelligence but their wisdom or complete lack of it

[Scylla Rhiadra]

21 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

You are mistaking stupidity for intelligence here Scylla. Lots of extremely intelligent people are frighteningly stupid. They are the people who do things because they can instead of asking if they should. What you are describing is the mentally below average and no they shouldn't be mocked for it. Those that should know better but can't see beyond "I want" are the terminally stupid. It is not a judgement on their intelligence but their wisdom or complete lack of it

Well, maybe we're arguing over semantics here. This isn't how I would use the word "stupid," but I think I understand what you're saying.

I'd still contend that there is an important distinction to be made between calling a post or idea "stupid," and labeling the person who made it as such. And I'd still argue, in both cases, that merely registering scorn and mockery with an emoticon is pointless and maybe even counterproductive (not to mention somewhat mean-spirited).

[Madelaine McMasters]

48 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

I understand this perspective, Kanry; I'm certainly not immune to becoming impatient and even abusive in the face of ongoing stupidity.

But there's surely a difference between stupidity and mere perverseness? Someone who is "stupid" is, quite literally, unable to do anything about that. It's like mocking someone for being born short.

Those who are capable of understanding, on the other hand . . . well, isn't it a better strategy to respond logically and rationally, in the hope that they will understand and benefit from your insights?

I am perpetually frustrated by people conflating "stupidity" with stupidity. Aphorisms like "stupid is as stupid does" don't help. I've met only a few stupid people in my life, and they've been a lot more pleasant to be around than the willfully ignorant. They've also made me feel like an underachiever.

And finally... aren't we all born short? I was somewhere around 20 inches long at birth. It took me years to fail achieving tallness. I gave up at 5'2".

ETA: We're all born with big heads, too. Mine was so big that a C section was required. I've been told it's still big, and that's another of those things that perpetually frustrates me.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Madelaine McMasters

[Scylla Rhiadra]

3 minutes ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

I've met only a few stupid people in my life, and they've been a lot more pleasant to be around than the willfully ignorant.

Yes, this!

3 minutes ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

And finally... aren't we all born short? I was somewhere around 20 inches long at birth. It took me years to fail achieving tallness. I gave up at 5'2".

Speak for yourself. I emerged fully grown and armored from my father's head.

(I can't tell you how relieved my mum was.)

[KanryDrago]

3 minutes ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

I am perpetually frustrated by people conflating "stupidity" with stupidity. Aphorisms like "stupid is as stupid does" don't help. I've met only a few stupid people in my life, and they've been a lot more pleasant to be around than the willfully ignorant. They've also made me feel like an underachiever.

And finally... aren't we all born short? I was somewhere around 20 inches long at birth. It took me years to fail achieving tallness. I gave up at 5'2".

To me at least stupidity implies the intelligence to know better but not applying it. Therefore calling someone stupid is not labelling them as below the line on the intelligence bell curve its kicking them for having sufficient intelligence to know better but not applying it.

I also agree with Maddy that those below the bell midpoint often make up for it by being happy people, I certainly wouldn't use the epithet stupid to them

[KanryDrago]

2 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

 

Speak for yourself. I emerged fully grown and armored from my father's head.

 

hmmm this sounds a lot like one of those creation myths from heathen faiths, you should run it past certain forum posters maybe they will form a cult around your birth

[Scylla Rhiadra]

6 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

they will form a cult around your birth

I'm always happy to accept acolytes and offerings!

[Selene Gregoire]

18 minutes ago, Madelaine McMasters said:

I am perpetually frustrated by people conflating "stupidity" with stupidity. Aphorisms like "stupid is as stupid does" don't help. I've met only a few stupid people in my life, and they've been a lot more pleasant to be around than the willfully ignorant. They've also made me feel like an underachiever.

And finally... aren't we all born short? I was somewhere around 20 inches long at birth. It took me years to fail achieving tallness. I gave up at 5'2".

ETA: We're all born with big heads, too. Mine was so big that a C section was required. I've been told it's still big, and that's another of those things that perpetually frustrates me.

I gave up at 5' 4" but I have a smaller head. Those one size fit all ladies hats and caps and such? They're too big. Cover my ears too big. I have been told (more than once) that I have "a lot of brains packed into that little head". I always took it as a compliment. I've also been told I'm too damn smart for my own good. Go figure.

 

And thank you for bringing up the willfully ignorant. I think that is my number one pet peeve.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Selene Gregoire

[KanryDrago]

Just now, Selene Gregoire said:

 I always took it as a compliment. I've also been told I'm too damn smart for my own good. Go figure.

This only becomes a problem if you start to believe it. A fool becomes wise when he recognises his ignorance and a wise man becomes a fool when he recognises his wisdom

[Madelaine McMasters]

9 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

I'm always happy to accept acolytes and offerings!

...offers you a few burnt acolytes.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Madelaine McMasters

[Selene Gregoire]

Just now, KanryDrago said:

This only becomes a problem if you start to believe it. A fool becomes wise when he recognises his ignorance and a wise man becomes a fool when he recognises his wisdom

Good thing I'm not a man. 

Ignorance and stupidity are not the same thing. 

Same goes for knowledge, intelligence and education.

Those 5 things are not mutually exclusive.

[KanryDrago]

1 minute ago, Selene Gregoire said:

Good thing I'm not a man. 

Ignorance and stupidity are not the same thing. 

Same goes for knowledge, intelligence and education.

Those 5 things are not mutually exclusive.

Did I claim they were?

[Selene Gregoire]

Just now, KanryDrago said:

Did I claim they were?

Did I say you did?

[LittleMe Jewell]

3 hours ago, BilliJo Aldrin said:

So, once again, could laughing at every single post a person makes be considered harassment and grounds for suspension?

Solar laughs at many posts, sometimes almost all of them in a thread, and is still around.  

That being said, if you only laughed at a specific person's post and did it on all of them, then it might be viewed as harassment.  Solar laughs at lots of people's stuff, so not targeting a specific person.