Re: Message to the "alt.fan.harry-potter" Newsgroup Gestapo

In message
<news:1123700868.084752.29780@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
"R.S. Lindsay" <LindsayRS@xxxxxxx> enriched us with:
>
> I wanted to post a reply to the "alt.fan.harry-potter" Newsgroup
> Gestapo,

Hmm -- it does seem a bit early to invoke Godwin's law, but almost ;)

Sorry -- I just happen to dislike the all too common comparisons to the
Nazi regime or its henchmen on usenet. For me it reads as indifference
to the sufferings of the victims of the real thing.

I am sure that that was never your intention, which actually makes it
easier to mention it here.

<snip>

> TO THOSE WHO CALLED ME A "TROLL"
>
> A "troll," by definition is someone who makes OFF-TOPIC posts on a
> newsgroup.

I guess that there are different definitions of a usenet troll. I tend
to see 'trolling' as posting messages that are consciously meant to
invoke angry and inflammatory responses that disrupts the usual
discussions of the group.

It doesn't matter -- under none of the definitions could your postings
be called trolls.

They might, if we go waaaay back, to a very old definition where a
troll could also be someone who stirred things up a bit in a positive
fashion, be called trolls, but given that that definition is no longer
valid, I won't even try to go that way.

<snip>

> TO THOSE WHO COMPLAINED MY POSTS WERE TOO LONG:
>
> I stand guilty as charged -- AND PROUD OF IT!

Good for you!

(OK, so I'm the guy who spent 13 pages proving I can't figure out how
many student's they've got at Hogwarts, so my vote may not carry all
that much weight <G>)

<snip>

> TO THOSE WHO COMPLAINED THAT I NEVER REPLIED TO THEIR REPLIES TO
> MY POSTS:
>
> There seems to be this crowd who insists that if I post something
> on a newsgroup, I am required by law to continuously defend and
> justify my opinions. When I don't reply to their replies, they
> accuse me of "running and hiding."

<snip>

> There's no law that says I MUST debate my arguments. The fact is I
> simply don't wish to engage in a fruitless, never-ending debate
> with the Dingbat Element over their replies to my replies to their
> replies about my opinions concerning their replies, etc., etc.

This is the difficult bit . . .

Mostly because I agree completely with you, and yet I can understand
why people react. Whatever definition we use, it is one of the
characteristics of troll postings that the troll doesn't engage in the
discussion, but leans back and enjoys the ensuing chaos.

Again, I am perfectly aware that you have never trolled the group in
the three years I've been around.

For the sake of appearance it might have been wiser to choose one of
the least 'dingbatty' replies and comment to that just once. On the
other hand it's pretty lame to have to do that just to satisfy other
people's impression of yourself . . .

I don't know if you will reply here, or if I can put this in a nice
way, but here goes:

If you never had any intention of engaging in the debate, what then was
your intentions with posting your messages?

Generally I assume that people post their opinions and ideas because
they wish to receive some feedback -- not just as a 'look at me' sort
of thing.

To put it somewhat inanely, we realise that we cannot be right /all/
the time(*), and use the feedback to refine our ideas and views, but
that usually includes being willing to engage in dialogue.

So, if you don't mind (and I can only hope you'll wish to answer), what
was your purpose with this series of posts?


(*) Yes, even when completely and utterly certain that we /know/ that
something is true, there is nevertheless that miniscule risk that
Rowling is going to throw all convention and history overboard.

--
Troels Forchhammer
Valid mail is <t.forch(a)email.dk>

The trouble with being a god is that you've got no one to pray to.
- (Terry Pratchett, Small Gods)
.

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