Operation: Be Nice

By kredwyn, Section Diaries
Posted on Sun May 18, 2008 at 02:41:15 PM EST
Tags: integrity, propriety, polite (all tags)

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Okay. So Danger Kitty and I have been having a nice leisurely day here at Castle kredwyn.

Hers seems to be more so than mine...but nevermind that.

Over the past bit, I'm sure we've all noticed a glut of new members who seem to be intent on signing up and stirring the discursive pot in an effort, I can only guess, to ruffle feathers, raise hackles, and illicit nasty responses...if only to reinforce their already slanted view of one candidate or another...

For example, April's very diplomatic first post had all the pleasantness of...well...a hammer a it challenged Jeralyn's statement by turning it into one of absolutes.

Needless to say, it kinda went downhill from there with a lot of invectives followed by passive aggressive "now aren't you being nasty" jabs.

We've got a nice place here. Jeralyn, TChris, and BTD all rock. And generally, except when tempers get heated, the conversation level is pretty even handed.

There are a lot of smart smart people with a lot of ideas re: what's best for the country and what's best for the Party. We don't always agree...but most times we get along.

The influx of trolling (and what the heck is a Sunday Sweetie???)...that's a whole 'nother issue.

So I have a plan (h/t Patrick Swayze)...

Be Nice.

If somebody gets in your face and calls you a $3*&^#@@%, I want you to be nice. Ask him to walk. Be nice. If he won't walk, walk him. But be nice. If you can't walk him, one of the others will help you, and you'll both be nice. I want you to remember that it's a job. It's nothing personal.

Oh...there's one more part of this plan.

I want you to be nice until it's time to not be nice.

Your buttons are being pushed on purpose. One way to defuse these attempts is to stay civil, bite down on the snark, respond with logic, and keep your footprint as small as possible.

So be nice...

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Operation: Be Nice | 8 comments (8 topical)

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Danger Kitty is awfully cute (5.00 / 4) (#1)
by RalphB on Sun May 18, 2008 at 03:24:37 PM EST

and being nice is a very good idea. Until it's time not to be nice :-)

Be nice twice! n/t (5.00 / 3) (#2)
by inclusiveheart on Sun May 18, 2008 at 03:50:50 PM EST

: It seems like the site's (5.00 / 2) (#3)
by kredwyn on Sun May 18, 2008 at 04:11:43 PM EST

just a little bit weird today.

[ Parent ]

It escalates no matter what replies are given (5.00 / 3) (#4)
by JavaCityPal on Sun May 18, 2008 at 04:40:31 PM EST

to them.

Personally, I will leave the thread before I engage in dialogue with the trolls again. If they find themselves all alone in the thread for 15 minutes, they'll be gone by the time we go back.

Well. . .I'm happier being mean! ;-) (5.00 / 2) (#5)
by andgarden on Tue May 20, 2008 at 12:07:08 AM EST

Good One, Kredwyn (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by creeper on Tue May 20, 2008 at 07:23:17 AM EST

It amazes me the number of people who think they can make their argument by calling names and spouting unsupported facts.

Invariably, when you take them to task for no links or for being nasty, they disappear from the discussion.

Glad you acknowledged that there is a point beyond which one need not exercise tolerance. Some of 'em DO ask for it.

Ok Kredwyn (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by coigue on Wed May 21, 2008 at 11:50:31 PM EST

answer me this: Why did I just get a lot of hateful responses and "1" ratings in the (now closed) diary when I was simply asking for verification?

Someone said I lost the argument...I wasn't arguing anything, I just wasn't going to change what I had heard without some proof.

They came down on me hard. Did they think I was a troll?

: I don't know... (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by kredwyn on Thu May 22, 2008 at 05:57:00 PM EST

But I know you aren't...so ::hug::
You had a lot of questions that most people think have already been asked and answered, in their minds, "like a gazillion times" (imagine my niece rolling her 7 year old eyes with an exasperated sigh).
I knew what you were asking...and that I hadn't seen you around for a while.
The only thing I can think is that over the weekend there was a sudden gush of trolls...and too many people need to step back and go for a very long walk/bike ride/cat tummy petting before they come back to the screen.
It's a good idea to not just change your mind cause someone says X. Think for yourself and do your own research.
Don't worry about the 1s. Ratings aren't all that important here.
But you know how bloggers get sometimes...::shrug:: we are legends in our own minds ;-P

[ Parent ]

I Like Danger Kitty (none / 0) (#9)
by MO Blue on Fri May 23, 2008 at 11:53:40 PM EST

I especially like that in the photo the cover, foreground and background provide interesting textures, colors, patterns and angles to frame Danger Kitty.

Normally I try to ignore people like April. Ansering them nicely doesn't work. They will just twist whatever you say and then come back with a passive/aggressive insult. Have I mentioned I really do not like passive/aggressive people. They don't really want anything more than to insult people and stir the pot. Somehow they seem to think that they are scoring points. If they are really Obama supporters, then their immaturity is hurting not helping their candidate.

I don't always practice what I preach. Sometimes they just push the right button and a response just flies off my keyboard. Try to kept it to how their actions are counterproductive or just turn their remarks around.

Hopefully Jeralyn's site violation method will cut down on the insanity.