The Temptation To Be Base to the Base
I almost daily read three blogs, which are the top three list on my blog roll: Waynedawg, Wadical, and Vox. Waynedawg and Wadical are like I am, and blog when they have time or inspiration. Vox has a larger readership and blogs several times daily.
And so I came across this post by Vox and began reading comments, which is always entertaining. A commentor named "WLindseyWheeler" posted some comments that many of the readers of Vox's blog did not agree with. As a matter of fact, I disagreed with his opinions and his screed against "niggers" and "dirty Jews", as well as Libertarians in general. However, what disappointed me was the way in which some of Vox's readers, who I find to be on the upper side of the intelligence spectrum, reacted to his comments.
When a person is saying things that are offensive or that is disagreeable, the temptation is always to lower to their level, and "call a spade a spade". However, oftentimes this has the opposite impact that one may perceive, actually legitimizing the cause of the offender in his mind. This is often the reaction of those with such simple minds, who understand nothing deeper than a banner slogan.
When I am called a name, I recognize that I have hit a nerve with someone who lacks the depth and/or the logic to counter my point. I would venture to say that Mr. Wheeler probably believes somewhat of the same thing considering such comebacks as, "Oh yea, you have a little penis and none of the feminists want to have sex with you," courtesy of a commentor called "Starbuck".
This brings to mind a time when a certain group of people from a church came calling at the home of someone I know. Rather than politely thank them for coming and saying, "we're not interested", they chose to be quiet and hope that they would just go away. But when one of them turned the door knob after knocking, the woman of the house came unhinged, telling them not so politely what she thought that they were and where they should go in very plain language that would make HBO producers blush. My thought at this is that she only legitimized the cause of those with whom she disagreed by stooping, in this case, below their level.
My advice is to fight ignorance with knowledge and resist the temptation to sling mud.
By attending the Klan rally in protest, the NAACP only further legitimizes the KKK in their own minds. Ignore them, and keep the cameras at home.
Stay on the high ground above those you oppose, and defeat them with facts and knowledge rather than fighting them with meaningless drivel that only reflects poorly on you.
And so I came across this post by Vox and began reading comments, which is always entertaining. A commentor named "WLindseyWheeler" posted some comments that many of the readers of Vox's blog did not agree with. As a matter of fact, I disagreed with his opinions and his screed against "niggers" and "dirty Jews", as well as Libertarians in general. However, what disappointed me was the way in which some of Vox's readers, who I find to be on the upper side of the intelligence spectrum, reacted to his comments.
When a person is saying things that are offensive or that is disagreeable, the temptation is always to lower to their level, and "call a spade a spade". However, oftentimes this has the opposite impact that one may perceive, actually legitimizing the cause of the offender in his mind. This is often the reaction of those with such simple minds, who understand nothing deeper than a banner slogan.
When I am called a name, I recognize that I have hit a nerve with someone who lacks the depth and/or the logic to counter my point. I would venture to say that Mr. Wheeler probably believes somewhat of the same thing considering such comebacks as, "Oh yea, you have a little penis and none of the feminists want to have sex with you," courtesy of a commentor called "Starbuck".
This brings to mind a time when a certain group of people from a church came calling at the home of someone I know. Rather than politely thank them for coming and saying, "we're not interested", they chose to be quiet and hope that they would just go away. But when one of them turned the door knob after knocking, the woman of the house came unhinged, telling them not so politely what she thought that they were and where they should go in very plain language that would make HBO producers blush. My thought at this is that she only legitimized the cause of those with whom she disagreed by stooping, in this case, below their level.
My advice is to fight ignorance with knowledge and resist the temptation to sling mud.
By attending the Klan rally in protest, the NAACP only further legitimizes the KKK in their own minds. Ignore them, and keep the cameras at home.
Stay on the high ground above those you oppose, and defeat them with facts and knowledge rather than fighting them with meaningless drivel that only reflects poorly on you.
posted by Badbeans | 4:13 PM
1 Comments:
I must admit my weakness in this area. Though I do pride myself on being more fluent than the average bear, sometimes you just wanna put the ignorant out of everyone else's misery. Not being able to knock their lights out over the web is, to say the least, frustrating.
I've encountered this problem with a white supremest and finally realized that he was just dragging a lure that I continued to bite at. Because he was an "elitist" and saw everyone to be inferior to him, he could never concede a point well made. He could never acknowledge one's obvious expertise in a particular field. He was just in the fight for the sake of the fight. He literally fed off of conflict and it soon became apparent that I was casting pearls before swine. Though he is a man of "average" intelligence, he is a man of short stature in the character department.
I did well, I think....debating him that is. But believe me, for every valid, well composed point I made online, I stooped to his level in private. I was angry and even my family noticed that I had become unapproachable when I got on the computer. He didn't deserve to have that type of impact on me, so I disengaged. It took a while but, like a stray dog, he finally went away when I stopped feeding him and I'm sure he left waving the victor's flag, seeing my "disengagement" as a "retreat". It wasn't so hard to swallow once I realized that, because of his lack of character, his "opinion" didn't amount to a hill of beans.
One should choose their fights, and their opponents, wisely. Spirited debate with a worthy opponent is refreshing, and helps one to organize his thoughts and analyze his position more accurately for the next engagement. Sometimes it even changes one's mind, but few are the opponents who are truly capable at civilized debate.
A trolling idiot does not have to be a particularly brilliant tactician to wear down the patience of an otherwise respectable person dragging that person out of character. And it doesn't take much acting out of character to ruin ones "respectability" to his or her audience. Without that respect and honor, one is no better than the idiot opponent who would prove himself unworthy, were he just simply ignored.
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