Just Some Guy's Journal: I've been mod-bombed - yay!

Within a five minute period yesterday, 5 of my comments got modded down with "-1: Troll". They were in different stories about completely different topics, but they were my most recent posts at that time.

I noticed that I've been building up a nice little list of liberal extremist freaks lately. It seems pretty clear to me that one of them happened upon some mod points and decided to spend them by modding me into oblivion.

I'm kind of flattered in a way, because they must have felt that I'm pretty important to spend their points against me. Even better, though, is this reminder that the favored tool of the liberal is silence. It's not enough to ignore opposing viewpoints, since someone else may hear them and be influenced. No, their response to someone who doesn't buy into their propaganda is to steal their voice.

On Slashdot, at least, they're limited to moderation. That's a lot better than in reality, when they'd probably scream "racist!", or "sexist!", or "capitalist!" in hopes that I'd run for shelter. That's not quite as funny.

I have found...

[rk]

that extremists on all sides, right, left, liberal, conservative, up, down, through the middle, engage in this sort of behavior.

I just don't get it. I personally enjoy mixing it up with people who have different opinions than me, and I'm known to occasionally defend an idea I don't personally believe just because I like a good argument. I've also been known to change my opinion on issues, given new information or lines of thought I hadn't considered.

When I get mod points again, I'll mod up your last 5

Re:I have found...

[Just Some Guy]

Same here. I have friend with worldviews diametrically opposite from my own, but we have a great time debating each other and poking holes in our logic. Although I've rarely changed my opinions, I always leave with a better understanding of myself and why I think the way I do.

Although I appreciate the offer, don't worry about the moderation. I've got karma to burn anyway and won't notice this little hiccup.

Been there...

[GypC]

Welcome to the club. This has happened to me a couple of times. It used to piss me off but, like you said, it's actually rather flattering. :-)

Damn Punks!

[Nethead]

It's just punks beating up on the oldtimers ;) Hang in there, we still love ya. -Joe

"the favored tool of the liberal is silence"

[sulli]

Well, that's a Fair and Balanced thing to say.

Some of us libs prefer to talk more, ya know.

Re:"the favored tool of the liberal is silence"

[Just Some Guy]

Some of us libs prefer to talk more, ya know.

And more power to that! I'll chat with anyone who can calmly express themselves and their disagreement with me. In my experience, though, it seems like more of a liberal than conservative tactic to silence one's opponents. As the only time I ever seem to collect freaks is after a political discussion, I doubt that most of them are conservatives (unless they're the kind that think libertarians are sellouts).

Granted, if I were a liberal who just got mod-bom

Re:"the favored tool of the liberal is silence"

[cabraverde]

In my experience, though, it seems like more of a liberal than conservative tactic to silence one's opponents.

I think that's because you identify yourself as "not-liberal". In my (British) lexicon, "liberal" literally means tolerance of differing opinions and customs. Suppressing an opponent's point of view is the most profoundly illiberal thing you can do, whatever your position on the political spectrum. This is why (to us) it seems strange that a large group of Americans use the term as if it were an i

Anyway...

[Nethead]

I just mod-bombed rk.

Re:Anyway...

[Just Some Guy]

<larry>That right there's funny. Don't care who ya are, that's funny.</larry>