Agreed. Where do you draw the line between downvoting and potentially feeding the trolls? I’m having a hard time with that. When someone is acting like an ignorant contrarian, I’m inclined to ignore them.
I start off with the logic, and when they double down on bullshit and toxicity I just keep spotlighting the terrible rhetoric with no substance. In a “like damn dude, your 3rd grade teacher would be disappointed in your writing” way.
I hold myself to slightly higher standards. I’m not above insulting and throwing toxicity back, but I am honest about it to stop it from undercutting my argumentation.
Its not about converting the crackpots, its about pushing back on insane bullshit so others are less likely to become crackpots.
This is why dissent is important. Visibility.
Agreed. Where do you draw the line between downvoting and potentially feeding the trolls? I’m having a hard time with that. When someone is acting like an ignorant contrarian, I’m inclined to ignore them.
I feel like there’s a certain point where you’re no longer pushing back against the crackpots and just arguing with a brick wall.
I start off with the logic, and when they double down on bullshit and toxicity I just keep spotlighting the terrible rhetoric with no substance. In a “like damn dude, your 3rd grade teacher would be disappointed in your writing” way.
You have to out dumb them and take away their argument.
Vaccines cause autism? It’s caused by aliens to force us to build another pyramid so they can land their ship here to harvest the squirrels.
I hold myself to slightly higher standards. I’m not above insulting and throwing toxicity back, but I am honest about it to stop it from undercutting my argumentation.