General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I see people like Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi and Cenk Uygur are being attacked in a big way [View all]JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)It's online bullying. Generally, it's wrong and stupid, but it's rarely harmful, being online. People tend to do it because it's online, they use it as a way to release steam with relatively little harm.
Nor does anyone say it has to be effective - bullies are notoriously weak people.
The spirit of it is to avoid engagement in discussion or facts and throw around a lot of empty, generic mockery and labels, laugh-icons and sidelining graphics. In this case (as often) it was coupled with an exhortation to leave the board (implying the board conforms to the bully's opinions, when in fact the majority seems to think otherwise; not that it would matter either way).
Also, a great deal of just putting words in people's mouths (the new classic in this art is now surely the substitution of a Jake Tapper column for one of Greenwald's!) and tiring them out from bothering to respond to the silliness, until all that's left is the bully's echo chamber.
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