It's always those who use words to harrass, annoy, and offend people who then claim to wonder how mere words could possibly bother anyone. It's always trolls who cry offense when called a troll.
You know, a polite, well-meaning person when explained that politeness is expected somewhere, wouldn't spend so much time debating the reasons and boundaries of politeness. But an argumentative person would argue it forever. Half this thread is just argument for the sake of argument.
Bullgrit
Somehow I think if I were to call you a troll that you'd take offense and defend yourself. Does that make you a troll? If so, everyone except those who admit they troll would be a troll, no? I think your reasoning here may be a bit flawed - perhaps due to some sort of prejudice? I dunno.
Anyhoo, why am I trolling if I reasonably disagree with someone? Are we all supposed to agree on everything here or something? Do I
have to agree with some board veteran if he rebuts me politely? I don't think so. We're having a conversation here. We're exchanging ideas and sharing opinions and, in the course, learning about each other. It's almost like it's the precise intent of an internet message board or something.
Honestly, I fail to see any reason for anyone to take issue with this line of conversation. I don't have to agree with anyone - not even myself.
It depends on your words. If you posted an insightful, well-written, accurate analysis of how I did my job and backed it up convincingly, then yes, I'd put weight on it. If you said "Boo yah! You suxxor!" then I wouldn't.
Like I said, the words have power. And putting them on the internet doesn't take away that power.
If I posted an insightful, well-written and accurate analysis then I'd not only know something about you and what you do (remember, for this exampleI
didn't) then I'd also be behaving in a most decidedly non-trollish manner. Were I to get all 'u r teh suk' then, as you say, you wouldn't take me seriously - which was precisely my point and my advice.
The words matter
depending upon the context. Were I to know you and approach you properly you'd give my words more weight than you would were I to troll you. That shows that you see the difference I've been trying to point out. Words matter, sure, but so does who says them, how and where.