• the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.works
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    10 months ago

    I have a little trick to tell whether im arguing with someone who actually is astroturfin vs someone who’s simply ignorant. I just prick their egos, just a bit. Just a a minor one mind you, not a full throated dismissal. I like to work one into an otherwise on-topic reply.

    Almost always the other person zeroes in on and rises to the bait. If they don’t? Theyre working. Similarly, astroturfers won’t get nasty like real folks do, or double down like real folks do if you debunk their argument well. Astroturfers dont want eyes in that so they’ll simply ghost you.

    Just my hypothesis of course.

    Dunno what to do about figuring their age except tell people mine. Sometimes that gives my words more weight. If my experience is instead dismissed, i always have my 30 years of Internet shit talking under my belt! Insults don’t hit as hard when they’re all re-runs :)

    Edit: anyone want to tell me why they don’t like this? Points don’t matter when it doesn’t hide your comment but I am actually confused. You don’t like it? Think it’s bullshit? I am here for your complaints

    • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
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      10 months ago

      You think that anyone behaving like an adult after you insult them is a shill? Kee-rist, no wonder the internet is in such bad shape.

      i always have my 30 years of Internet shit talking under my belt! Insults don’t hit as hard when they’re all re-runs :)

      Only 30? If you weren’t online before '93 then you’re a n00b.

      • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.works
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        10 months ago

        Would you mind explaining what party of my comment made your get angry?

        Did you extrapolate what i said, (i do this with people i suspect) to mean i do this to everyone?

        Was it when i mentioned people’s egos? did i come off as arrogant?

        Im interested now that everyone’s all cooled down in what got everyone all pissed off, cuz again believe it or not that wasn’t the comment’s intent

        What do you say?

    • Butt Pirate@reddthat.com
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      10 months ago

      Eh. I have 160 replies that I haven’t even looked at. Most of the time I just can’t be bothered to respond to you.

      • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.works
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        10 months ago

        I think I’m probably just gonna end up in the inbox but why would you even comment on a forum if you had no interest in what the other person had to say? In this thread i suppose it’s necessary to say I’m not trying to trick ya, I’m curious! i wonder: what are you getting out of commenting without seeing replies?

        • Butt Pirate@reddthat.com
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          10 months ago

          Most of the time I don’t reply. Sometimes I do though :)

          You know that meme about the people who type up a whole response and then delete it, don’t post it, and move on? That’s unironically me, except now I skip the first three steps. My opinion isn’t worth anything and I (more or less) gave up trying to get people to change their opinions online a long time ago.

          I like seeing what other people have to say on various subjects. I don’t really like sharing, myself.

          • the post of tom joad@sh.itjust.works
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            10 months ago

            Hey, thank you for sharing! I thought i was gonna be #161. I think the kind of person who had the self-awareness to say something like “my opinion isn’t worth anything” is the kind of person that i want to see posting more, personally. But i get it. Take it easy :)