Civility has become a cult.

Mods on modern websites (including Reddit and Lemmy.world) are forced to maintain courtly behavior instead of deciding who’s the asshole. They will protect any cautious troll who can politely phrase ‘you’re subhuman and also secretly agree with me’ but jump on the obvious reasonable response: “Fuck off.” Even when that curt dismissal is followed by an explanation of how a comment was dishonest and manipulative, you said the no-no word, so only you get the boot.

And that boot will tend to be as heavy as possible, sometimes instantly permanent, because god forbid anyone learn anything. You keep permanently banning these trolls, when they can get a new account in minutes, and they keep coming back within minutes? Wow, it’s almost like you’ve given them no reason whatsoever to stick out their ban and keep that username. Spritzing them in the face with a three-day time-out works better. This is basic Skinnerian conditioning - immediate reliable feedback is internalized and shapes future behavior.

By mindbleach@sh.itjust.works

Link

  • Sundial@lemm.eeEnglish
    132·
    23 days ago

    It’s not all that far from the truth. Calling out asshole behavior on certain communities has to be done with so much civility its as if you’re just “agreeing to disagree”. The courting of the fanatics on both ends of the spectrum is just allowing propaganda to flourish.

    EDIT: To be clear, when I say assholes I mean the trolls who are knowingly and intentionally dismissing in your face evidence and trying to push some kind of narrative they feel is justified, no matter how heinous.

    • jerkface@lemmy.caEnglish
      72·
      23 days ago

      “Calling out the asshole,” is a self-righteous way of saying, “flipping the bozo bit.”

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bozo_bit#Dismissing_a_person_as_not_worth_listening_to

      It does not add anything to be uncivil when calling out someone who might be a problem. That person is not the only audience. It still reflects poorly on one to act poorly, even if one convinces oneself that they have a “really good reason” to be an asshole to an asshole. And it assumes one’s own infallibility.

      Some people might like to see it and upvote it, but that isn’t helping the interlocutor’s implied intention of improving discourse. It’s just creating a dunk culture.

      When you see someone acting poorly, it’s not at all clear calling them an asshole is a better strategy (even for one’s own wellness, let alone that of the community) than assuming, hey, this person is in a shitty mood, and probably having a bad day; a compassionate person would offer them some help or at least attempt to be understanding.

      It’s hard, I know.

      • Sundial@lemm.eeEnglish
        61·
        23 days ago

        An asshole isn’t someone who disagrees with you in this case. Maybe I should have pointed out that I’m talking about the trolls that exist here who are just assholes. It’s someone who is intentionally and knowingly spreading out misinformation or cherry picked quotes and events to further an agenda. Someone who dismisses what they don’t like to hear so they can stand some “authoritative moral high-ground” that they’ve made up. I’ll edit my comment to better reflect what I was trying to say.

  • jerkface@lemmy.caEnglish
    102·
    24 days ago

    I mean I get what is being said, but the way they phrased their thesis sentence is sooooo far from reality, the point is totally undermined. Civility is clearly at an all time low.

  • 1984@lemmy.todayEnglish
    2·
    23 days ago

    I think it’s a bit strange that we call everyone a troll these days though. Since when is it trolling to just state your opinion? Trolling was supposed to be when someone intentionally posts something to upset someone else.

    It’s very hard to actually know the difference unless it’s a stupid poster who does it over and over again.

    • trumpmusk2028@lemmy.worldEnglish
      11·
      13 days ago

      I think it’s a bit strange that we call everyone a troll these days though

      Lots of Lemmy’s are way too quick to say “troll” to every single person that doesn’t have the same exact opinion as they do.

      Attn Lemmy: Some people just don’t agree with you. lol

    • PhilipTheBucket@ponder.catOPEnglish
      13·
      23 days ago

      I don’t call everyone a troll. I didn’t call you a troll, or Sundial, or jerkface, or PugJesus.

      I disagreed with mindbleach, but he didn’t call me a troll, nor me him. I think it’s potentially possible that we’re discussing actual trolls, in this conversation.

      Are you sure you didn’t make up an imaginary scenario in your head where “we” call everyone who states their opinion a troll?