MarkusQ's Journal: Am I being trolled? Opinions wanted

OK, I could use some opinions / advice here.

I honestly can't tell if I've fallen for an elaborate troll or just run across someone who is English impaired.

The top of the thread in question starts out reasonably enough, but before too long it gets very odd. Its almost like I'm arguing with a really sophisticated chatbot or something. Or like that Monty Python argument sketch. Another thought that crossed my mind is that he may be trying to do a Colbert, and playing the part of an overly enthusiastic partisan for humorous effect.

So what do you think? Am I wasting my time on a really clever troll, or dealing with someone who is language impaired, or (I suppose it's possible) someone whose subtle wit is far beyond my ability to comprehend?

Thoughts?

--MarkusQ

Congratulations. Now you are a man.

[BandwidthHog]

Seeing someone’s first argument with pudge is almost as cool as having a picture of them viewing goatse for the first time [flickr.com].

And yes, as far as any of us can tell, he’s quite serious.

Re:

[MarkusQ]

Ah, so I'm not the only one that's had this problem?

And, if he's serious, how can he be functional in the real world? If he really is "just like that" I can see him having problems ordering a burger at McDonald's ("When I said Mig Back, of course I meant Quarter Pounder! What else could I have possibly meant! There's nothing else it could have meant! Three percent!") let alone holding down a job, let alone holding public office.

*sigh*

Well, I suppose there is at least some consolation in knowing ot

Re:

[loucura!]

let alone holding down a job, let alone holding public office.

He works for Slashdot, that's not really 'holding down a job'.

Re:

[MarkusQ]

let alone holding down a job, let alone holding public office.

He works for Slashdot, that's not really 'holding down a job'.

I gather he's also a Republican Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) [slashdot.org] in Washington.

--MarkusQ

Re:

[rk]

The funny thing is, I hadn't actually noticed who he was arguing with, and after a bit I thought "this guy sounds like pudge!", whereupon I actually saw that it was indeed, pudge.

Pudge will change the definition of words to suit his argument, such as using the word "quote" when he really means "paraphrase very poorly".

Arguing with pudge is a waste of your time. He's a twisted, intellectually dishonest little man and if I were to foe ANYBODY on this site, it would be him.

Re:

[BandwidthHog]

Mine went the other way. I saw him jousting with pudge and was scrolling down looking for the dude in question.

Not sure you were "trolled"...

[rthille]

But you've obviously got much more patience than I. Hell, I didn't even bother to read much of the thread, much less write it. I did get the feeling that perhaps in person you could come to a reasonable agreement, or at least agreement to disagree... However, with the misinterpretation of text and the delay of the internet, I would have given up long long before you did :-)

I got bored...

[Morphine007]

... of reading the nonsense after a couple of posts on either side. This is my version of what happened there:

• You made a statement based on some pretty basic ideas
• He tore you apart based on a combination of misunderstanding/misinterpreting your statements, and not understanding the basic concepts behind his own position
• You corrected him
• He nitpicked your corrections, based on semantics, and refused to lose face by admitting he was wrong
• lather
• rinse
• repeat.... ad nauseum

That being said, I don't think

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

He thinks what?

[MarkusQ]

Oh, and he thinks *I'm* a troll.

Huh? That's just nuts. If I hadn't spent the last two or three days going back and forth with him myself, I wouldn't believe it.

Look on the bright side; now that you've publicly stated that he thinks you're a troll, there's probably a good chance that he'll argue vehemently that you aren't. Or that the word doesn't mean what he said he thinks you thought he meant you mean by it when you use it, but not when he does. Or something along those lines.

--MarkusQ

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Patience

[MarkusQ]

I've gotta say though, that you've got a lot more patience than I ;-)

It may have been patience, but as I recall it, in hindsight it looks a lot more like naivety.

I kept thinking "maybe I just wasn't clear enough" and "could he possibly be trying to make some subtle point that I'm just missing?"

What finally ended it for me was the one where he said something, I agreed with it (quoted it word for word, with something like "You are correct that..." in front) and he came right back with "False!" and the

Re:

[WilliamSChips]

You can't argue with that kind of logic. And, as it turns out, you can't even agree with it.

Perfect definition of pudge.

Well proved

[whig]

I thought it was worth linking [wordpress.com] from my blog.