Moron, you appear to be one of those who lack the required brainpower to recognize the yawning chasm between defenseless victimhood and heated debate within the rules. So instead you plunge directly to goatse-class interactions with all who do not agree with your idiotically misguided ideas.
Moron, you appear to be one of those who lack the required brainpower to recognize the yawning chasm between defenseless victimhood and heated debate within the rules. So instead you plunge directly to goatse-class interactions with all who do not agree with your idiotically misguided ideas.
Of course, ever the open minded reasonable "Rook" - I know better than that. End.
...and helped precipitate the Ukrainian Orthodox' (I'm pushing the boat out with that apostrophe I realise)...
Don't you mean "that possessive comma?" Seriously, I'm no master of the English language, I only respond when someone starts having a go at my grammar. I never said anything about your writing style, but you had to stick your oar in.
No, you then proceed to lie. You made the claim that I had commented on your grammar, which was just a boldfaced lie.
If you want to get technical about it you may be right, but you certainly implied it in many of your posts - that your English was somehow superior - and that's what all this is about.
Posting on a public discussion forum is pretty much inviting others' opinions.
If you want to spout off unchallenged, get a blog.
No-one understood the point - which was directed at Doc Tor, not Cheese - who thought his opinion was so important everyone had to hear it. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Posting on a public discussion forum is pretty much inviting others' opinions.
If you want to spout off unchallenged, get a blog.
No-one understood the point - which was directed at Doc Tor, not Cheese - who thought his opinion was so important everyone had to hear it. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Wait, are you trying to tell me you know something about my wife?
Posting on a public discussion forum is pretty much inviting others' opinions.
If you want to spout off unchallenged, get a blog.
No-one understood the point - which was directed at Doc Tor, not Cheese - who thought his opinion was so important everyone had to hear it. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Wait, are you trying to tell me you know something about my wife?
No - I'm just guessing that that's why someone wouldn't keep referring to themselves as "Doctor" - it could be almost anyone with a Ph.D. What a stupid conclusion to jump to!
Posting on a public discussion forum is pretty much inviting others' opinions.
If you want to spout off unchallenged, get a blog.
No-one understood the point - which was directed at Doc Tor, not Cheese - who thought his opinion was so important everyone had to hear it. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Wait, are you trying to tell me you know something about my wife?
No - I'm just guessing that that's why someone wouldn't keep referring to themselves as "Doctor" - it could be almost anyone with a Ph.D. What a stupid conclusion to jump to!
Posting on a public discussion forum is pretty much inviting others' opinions.
If you want to spout off unchallenged, get a blog.
No-one understood the point - which was directed at Doc Tor, not Cheese - who thought his opinion was so important everyone had to hear it. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Wait, are you trying to tell me you know something about my wife?
No - I'm just guessing that that's why someone wouldn't keep referring to themselves as "Doctor" - it could be almost anyone with a Ph.D. What a stupid conclusion to jump to!
Well maybe don't guess things about my wife.
You're an idiot - you make a statement, then get offended when people pick you up on it. Maybe you should think about what you're disclosing in the first place, if you're that easily offended.
Posting on a public discussion forum is pretty much inviting others' opinions.
If you want to spout off unchallenged, get a blog.
No-one understood the point - which was directed at Doc Tor, not Cheese - who thought his opinion was so important everyone had to hear it. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Wait, are you trying to tell me you know something about my wife?
No - I'm just guessing that that's why someone wouldn't keep referring to themselves as "Doctor" - it could be almost anyone with a Ph.D. What a stupid conclusion to jump to!
Well maybe don't guess things about my wife.
You're an idiot - you make a statement, then get offended when people pick you up on it. Maybe you should think about what you're disclosing in the first place, if you're that easily offended.
I'm an idiot. Right, okay then Mark Betts.
You're a total plank. You don't even recognise when you are talking shite.
Posting on a public discussion forum is pretty much inviting others' opinions.
If you want to spout off unchallenged, get a blog.
No-one understood the point - which was directed at Doc Tor, not Cheese - who thought his opinion was so important everyone had to hear it. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Wait, are you trying to tell me you know something about my wife?
No - I'm just guessing that that's why someone wouldn't keep referring to themselves as "Doctor" - it could be almost anyone with a Ph.D. What a stupid conclusion to jump to!
Well maybe don't guess things about my wife.
You're an idiot - you make a statement, then get offended when people pick you up on it. Maybe you should think about what you're disclosing in the first place, if you're that easily offended.
I'm an idiot. Right, okay then Mark Betts.
You're a total plank. You don't even recognise when you are talking shite.
Yes, I do think you're an idiot. I suppose you think people will be impressed when they see what you have to say. You have no point to make at all and what's it to me what you might think?
The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Did you read what you actually said, Mark? Because, on a discussion forum, people don't try to read your mind. They read what you say, trusting that you will say what you mean and mean what you say.
And you said: "The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point." Read it again. You typed those words. Not me. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point.
The only stupid conclusion that Mr. Cheesy jumped to was that you were saying what you meant, or that you meant what you said. It's a conclusion based on his kindness and decency. He generally treats other people with respect, and calling you out on what you said is, in fact, a form of respect. Given your behavior, it's stupid. But it's kind, decent, and respectful.
Unfortunately, some people treat kindness, decency, and respect as signs of weakness and regard honesty as an irrelevancy. They regard every interaction with other human beings as a fight that they have to win at all costs.
The current US president is one such person. You appear to be another. From the president, it's understandable: he's a power-mad narcissist with no pretensions of being anything else. You, on the other hand, claim to be an Orthodox Christian. It's perfectly reasonable for others to expect better from you.
On the other hand, if someone were to conclude that you're a wannabe Russian troll who got through propaganda school by the skin of your teeth, I wouldn't say that's unreasonable, given your behavior here.
Your response to my post at the time was rude and childish, particularly as I'd tried to word my points fairly and kindly to you, and informally, so not a host post telling you off. And on Christmas day, when it would be nice if people took a break from being wankers.
There were a number things about Mark Betts’ obsession with kmann’s grammar that reeked of obnoxiousness. There was, as others have noted, an element of bigotry in it. There was, as others have noted, an element of hypocracy in it; he really wasn’t in a position to be correcting others.
But there also seemed to be some deflection going on. He made accusations about other shipmates—@josephine and @mousethief in particular—and when challenged on those accusations and asked to back them up, he instead decided to focus on the perceived grammatical shortcomings of others.
“Rude and childish” sums it all up pretty well.
*Shock!!* All these poor defenceless victims who would never say anything to offend anyone! Really? Maybe it's you who has some growing up to do Nick - and take a reality check.
Oh... and stop fawning.
Oh good grief. When did I ever say @mousethief would never say things that offend anyone? Or why would I say that?
You’re rude, you’re petulant, you’re arrogant, your default is to throw temper tantrums, you seem unwilling to endure even the slightest criticism of yourself or of Moscow and you see American plots behind any sentiment that doesn’t align with Moscow’s position.
If I didn’t know better, I’d suspect that the current occupant of the Oval Office had converted to Russian Orthodoxy and come aboard the ship of Fools.
The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Did you read what you actually said, Mark? Because, on a discussion forum, people don't try to read your mind. They read what you say, trusting that you will say what you mean and mean what you say.
And you said: "The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point." Read it again. You typed those words. Not me. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point.
The only stupid conclusion that Mr. Cheesy jumped to was that you were saying what you meant, or that you meant what you said. It's a conclusion based on his kindness and decency. He generally treats other people with respect, and calling you out on what you said is, in fact, a form of respect. Given your behavior, it's stupid. But it's kind, decent, and respectful.
Unfortunately, some people treat kindness, decency, and respect as signs of weakness and regard honesty as an irrelevancy. They regard every interaction with other human beings as a fight that they have to win at all costs.
The current US president is one such person. You appear to be another. From the president, it's understandable: he's a power-mad narcissist with no pretensions of being anything else. You, on the other hand, claim to be an Orthodox Christian. It's perfectly reasonable for others to expect better from you.
On the other hand, if someone were to conclude that you're a wannabe Russian troll who got through propaganda school by the skin of your teeth, I wouldn't say that's unreasonable, given your behavior here.
You, Josephine, are a Troll. Mr Cheesy said the following:
But I know for certain who I'd rather have a pint with...
I used to have a boss with a Ph.D. - we used to call him "the Doctor", although he never used the title himself - but he was a nice person.....
My wife has a doctorate but is rarely called anything other than her first name.
That more or less tells me she has no desire to be called "Doctor." But you won't admit to being wrong will you? But no, I'm not wasting any more time reading what you have to say. Is it anything other than biased rubbish to make it look like everything I say and believe in is wrong, even to the point of defending Mr. Cheesy? I doubt it.
Mark. Do you even know what a troll is? Even if Josephine were wrong in her points, which she is not, there is nothing she has ever posted that is remotely troll-like. This is why you come across as childish. Someone tries to engage you in serious conversation, taking you seriously, expressing themselves honestly, and you see one paragraph which suggests, as a logical conclusion, that your behaviour could be interpreted as you being a troll, and you go into your reactive snowball fight mode of 'No, you're a troll!'
Pretty much everyone married to someone with a doctorate will say "my spouse has a doctorate but is rarely called anything other than their first name", not because the person concerned isn't arrogant and superior (because some of them are) but because arrogance and feelings of superiority aren't conferred at a higher degree awarding ceremony.
I mean, that's clearly the case, isn't it, Mark?
(also, I chose the Ship name Doc Tor because of my love of Doctor Who and the Daleks, not because I have a PhD.)
Mark. Do you even know what a troll is? Even if Josephine were wrong in her points, which she is not, there is nothing she has ever posted that is remotely troll-like. This is why you come across as childish. Someone tries to engage you in serious conversation, taking you seriously, expressing themselves honestly, and you see one paragraph which suggests, as a logical conclusion, that your behaviour could be interpreted as you being a troll, and you go into your reactive snowball fight mode of 'No, you're a troll!'
Every word she said was to "have a go" - it wasn't balanced or constructive. Typical troll behaviour, if you ask me. She actually called me a "wannabe Russian troll" - so I can't see why people see her as all sweetness and light. If she was, then what is she doing posting in Hell at all, deliberately to provoke certain people? Do you honestly expect me to react to a post like that in a reasonable diplomatic manner? So long as you keep pretending it is "all me" and everyone else is acting just fine, I can't see the point in discussing this any further. If you were to say that most of us, even the holier-than-thou Josephine were wrong in part, then we might get somewhere.
Pretty much everyone married to someone with a doctorate will say "my spouse has a doctorate but is rarely called anything other than their first name", not because the person concerned isn't arrogant and superior (because some of them are) but because arrogance and feelings of superiority aren't conferred at a higher degree awarding ceremony.
I mean, that's clearly the case, isn't it, Mark?
(also, I chose the Ship name Doc Tor because of my love of Doctor Who and the Daleks, not because I have a PhD.)
Pretty much everyone married to someone with a doctorate will say "my spouse has a doctorate but is rarely called anything other than their first name", not because the person concerned isn't arrogant and superior (because some of them are) but because arrogance and feelings of superiority aren't conferred at a higher degree awarding ceremony.
I mean, that's clearly the case, isn't it, Mark?
(also, I chose the Ship name Doc Tor because of my love of Doctor Who and the Daleks, not because I have a PhD.)
OK - this time I'll admit I was wrong.
Not that I don't have a PhD. I do. Just that I didn't chose my shipname because of it.
The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Did you read what you actually said, Mark? Because, on a discussion forum, people don't try to read your mind. They read what you say, trusting that you will say what you mean and mean what you say.
And you said: "The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point." Read it again. You typed those words. Not me. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point.
The only stupid conclusion that Mr. Cheesy jumped to was that you were saying what you meant, or that you meant what you said. It's a conclusion based on his kindness and decency. He generally treats other people with respect, and calling you out on what you said is, in fact, a form of respect. Given your behavior, it's stupid. But it's kind, decent, and respectful.
Unfortunately, some people treat kindness, decency, and respect as signs of weakness and regard honesty as an irrelevancy. They regard every interaction with other human beings as a fight that they have to win at all costs.
The current US president is one such person. You appear to be another. From the president, it's understandable: he's a power-mad narcissist with no pretensions of being anything else. You, on the other hand, claim to be an Orthodox Christian. It's perfectly reasonable for others to expect better from you.
On the other hand, if someone were to conclude that you're a wannabe Russian troll who got through propaganda school by the skin of your teeth, I wouldn't say that's unreasonable, given your behavior here.
You, Josephine, are a Troll. Mr Cheesy said the following:
But I know for certain who I'd rather have a pint with...
I used to have a boss with a Ph.D. - we used to call him "the Doctor", although he never used the title himself - but he was a nice person.....
My wife has a doctorate but is rarely called anything other than her first name.
That more or less tells me she has no desire to be called "Doctor." But you won't admit to being wrong will you? But no, I'm not wasting any more time reading what you have to say. Is it anything other than biased rubbish to make it look like everything I say and believe in is wrong, even to the point of defending Mr. Cheesy? I doubt it.
Dude, do you mind keeping your assumptions about my wife out if this?
The sequence of events was that
1. You made a crass error in typing the correct shortened form for a Doctorate, having recently taken issue with someone else's typos.
2. You compound the error by using passive-aggression to highlight the saintliness of someone else's with a doctoral qualification. Presumably as a dig at people here who have earned doctorates.
3. I mentioned my wife to highlight that I, too, know people with doctorates but that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with your behaviour. That bringing up doctorates given that you can barely spell is rather ironic.
And
4. That you can fuck off and shut your trap.
5. You respond saying something about my wife, who you don't know
6. Bizarrely compounding my point 3
7. I give you an opportunity to take back your wild statements about my wife, who you don't know.
But
8. You double down, telling me and everyone else about my wife who you don't know.
9. Meanwhile you avoid talking about your behaviour towards Kmann, which is pretty disgusting - as almost all of us here agree - because you are talking about my wife. Who you don't know.
And ultimately
10. You tell Kmann that you are no longer talking about your abuse of him.
Ultimately, chum, you are a plank. If you can't see how this is disruptive towards members of this community and a waste of your own time, then nobody else can help you.
The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Did you read what you actually said, Mark? Because, on a discussion forum, people don't try to read your mind. They read what you say, trusting that you will say what you mean and mean what you say.
And you said: "The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point." Read it again. You typed those words. Not me. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point.
The only stupid conclusion that Mr. Cheesy jumped to was that you were saying what you meant, or that you meant what you said. It's a conclusion based on his kindness and decency. He generally treats other people with respect, and calling you out on what you said is, in fact, a form of respect. Given your behavior, it's stupid. But it's kind, decent, and respectful.
Unfortunately, some people treat kindness, decency, and respect as signs of weakness and regard honesty as an irrelevancy. They regard every interaction with other human beings as a fight that they have to win at all costs.
The current US president is one such person. You appear to be another. From the president, it's understandable: he's a power-mad narcissist with no pretensions of being anything else. You, on the other hand, claim to be an Orthodox Christian. It's perfectly reasonable for others to expect better from you.
On the other hand, if someone were to conclude that you're a wannabe Russian troll who got through propaganda school by the skin of your teeth, I wouldn't say that's unreasonable, given your behavior here.
You, Josephine, are a Troll. Mr Cheesy said the following:
But I know for certain who I'd rather have a pint with...
I used to have a boss with a Ph.D. - we used to call him "the Doctor", although he never used the title himself - but he was a nice person.....
My wife has a doctorate but is rarely called anything other than her first name.
That more or less tells me she has no desire to be called "Doctor." But you won't admit to being wrong will you? But no, I'm not wasting any more time reading what you have to say. Is it anything other than biased rubbish to make it look like everything I say and believe in is wrong, even to the point of defending Mr. Cheesy? I doubt it.
Dude, do you mind keeping your assumptions about my wife out if this?
The sequence of events was that
1. You made a crass error in typing the correct shortened form for a Doctorate, having recently taken issue with someone else's typos.
2. You compound the error by using passive-aggression to highlight the saintliness of someone else's with a doctoral qualification. Presumably as a dig at people here who have earned doctorates.
3. I mentioned my wife to highlight that I, too, know people with doctorates but that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with your behaviour. That bringing up doctorates given that you can barely spell is rather ironic.
And
4. That you can fuck off and shut your trap.
5. You respond saying something about my wife, who you don't know
6. Bizarrely compounding my point 3
7. I give you an opportunity to take back your wild statements about my wife, who you don't know.
But
8. You double down, telling me and everyone else about my wife who you don't know.
9. Meanwhile you avoid talking about your behaviour towards Kmann, which is pretty disgusting - as almost all of us here agree - because you are talking about my wife. Who you don't know.
And ultimately
10. You tell Kmann that you are no longer talking about your abuse of him.
Ultimately, chum, you are a plank. If you can't see how this is disruptive towards members of this community and a waste of your own time, then nobody else can help you.
Mate, I never said anything about your wife to take back - are you hoping that I might? You would then really be able to stir things up, wouldn't you? Is that what you want?
Pretty much everyone married to someone with a doctorate will say "my spouse has a doctorate but is rarely called anything other than their first name", not because the person concerned isn't arrogant and superior (because some of them are) but because arrogance and feelings of superiority aren't conferred at a higher degree awarding ceremony.
I mean, that's clearly the case, isn't it, Mark?
(also, I chose the Ship name Doc Tor because of my love of Doctor Who and the Daleks, not because I have a PhD.)
OK - this time I'll admit I was wrong.
Not that I don't have a PhD. I do. Just that I didn't chose my shipname because of it.
I suspected you most likely did, but I'll stand by my apology - it's time we put it to bed.
To be precise, I did not call you a "wannabe Russian troll." I said that a reasonable person could conclude that, based on your behavior.
On the other hand, I did compare you to Donald Trump, and say that, like him, you appear to treat kindness, decency, and respect as signs of weakness, regard honesty as an irrelevancy, and treat every interaction with other human beings as a fight that you have to win at all costs.
And if you're looking for balanced and constructive, try Purgatory or All Saints. This is Hell.
Mate, I never said anything about your wife to take back - are you hoping that I might? You would then really be able to stir things up, wouldn't you? Is that what you want?
Did you earn your Ph.D at the Donald Trump School of Rhetoric and Debate?
Mate, I never said anything about your wife to take back - are you hoping that I might? You would then really be able to stir things up, wouldn't you? Is that what you want?
Did you earn your Ph.D at the Donald Trump School of Rhetoric and Debate?
Mark. Do you even know what a troll is? Even if Josephine were wrong in her points, which she is not, there is nothing she has ever posted that is remotely troll-like. This is why you come across as childish. Someone tries to engage you in serious conversation, taking you seriously, expressing themselves honestly, and you see one paragraph which suggests, as a logical conclusion, that your behaviour could be interpreted as you being a troll, and you go into your reactive snowball fight mode of 'No, you're a troll!'
Every word she said was to "have a go" - it wasn't balanced or constructive. Typical troll behaviour, if you ask me.
Even if that were the case, that is not what troll behaviour is. Trolls don't post to 'have a go.' That is why I asked if you know what a troll is.
I didn't say Josephine was all sweetness and light. I don't even know Josephine. I haven't seen many posts by her. But observing what she had posted, I said she was engaging with you seriously and honestly. Seriously and honestly can also be critically. It can even be having a go at you. That is very different from troll behaviour though. Trolls post for very different reasons.
Calling a person a word you don't understand, because you perceived they were calling you it first, is exactly what five year olds do. It is pointless. It achieves nothing, other than to make people see you as childish and lacking intelligence, and then they will make fun of you. With a five year old, people might smile or laugh affectionately when they do it, while also teaching them not to do it, because it is not a helpful behaviour, and they want their child to grow into a functional adult who can communicate effectively with others. When full-grown adults do it (which, to be honest, I didn't even know actually happened until I came across you) people will not be so patient or indulgent. They will dismiss you as stupid, foolish, a person who hasn't matured. So why do you do it? Surely you have a thing in your brain that tells you you're being an idiot, and it would be better to say something you understand and make genuine attempts to communicate with people?
Mate, I never said anything about your wife to take back - are you hoping that I might? You would then really be able to stir things up, wouldn't you? Is that what you want?
Did you earn your Ph.D at the Donald Trump School of Rhetoric and Debate?
Not Ph.D. - One Art 'O' level.
Honestly, no one cares what qualifications you have or don't have. Not in a mean way - it's just irrelevant. You're not Rodney from Only Fools and Horses.
Someone tell me, because I am confused. Is this the Martin 54 hell thread, or the Mark Betts hell thread? It's so hard to keep up on these things.
At this moment, I'm reminded of the final form of the creature in Carpenter's The Thing. All threads have mutated into one gibbering, incoherent mess that just wants to convert the few remaining survivors into versions of itself.
Your response to my post at the time was rude and childish, particularly as I'd tried to word my points fairly and kindly to you, and informally, so not a host post telling you off. And on Christmas day, when it would be nice if people took a break from being wankers.
There were a number things about Mark Betts’ obsession with kmann’s grammar that reeked of obnoxiousness. There was, as others have noted, an element of bigotry in it. There was, as others have noted, an element of hypocracy in it; he really wasn’t in a position to be correcting others.
But there also seemed to be some deflection going on. He made accusations about other shipmates—@josephine and @mousethief in particular—and when challenged on those accusations and asked to back them up, he instead decided to focus on the perceived grammatical shortcomings of others.
“Rude and childish” sums it all up pretty well.
*Shock!!* All these poor defenceless victims who would never say anything to offend anyone! Really? Maybe it's you who has some growing up to do Nick - and take a reality check.
Oh... and stop fawning.
Oh good grief. When did I ever say @mousethief would never say things that offend anyone? Or why would I say that?
You’re rude, you’re petulant, you’re arrogant, your default is to throw temper tantrums, you seem unwilling to endure even the slightest criticism of yourself or of Moscow and you see American plots behind any sentiment that doesn’t align with Moscow’s position.
If I didn’t know better, I’d suspect that the current occupant of the Oval Office had converted to Russian Orthodoxy and come aboard the ship of Fools.
The clue is that Mark doesn't use the words "amazing", "terrible", "best", "smart", "great", "loser", and "tremendous" enough. A Trump sockpuppet wouldn't be able to resist using those words over and over. Josephine would be characterized as a "sad" and "bad" person instead of a troll.
Mark Betts and Trump are just coincidentally both self-satisfied dorks. One throws a forum into disorder, and one throws the world into disorder. Maybe Trump should set up his own online forum so that he can get his regular echo chamber fix. But then I get he already has that on Twitter
Comments
Of course, ever the open minded reasonable "Rook" - I know better than that. End.
I used to have a boss with a Ph.D. - we used to call him "the Doctor", although he never used the title himself - but he was a nice person.....
My wife has a doctorate but is rarely called anything other than her first name.
This has as much to do with the issues here as your contribution: namely nothing.
Kindly just Shut The Fuck Up. For fucks sake, give your trap a rest.
We know you think it's big to swear in Hell - why don't you STFU yourself - who asked for your opinion?
If you want to spout off unchallenged, get a blog.
What???
No-one understood the point - which was directed at Doc Tor, not Cheese - who thought his opinion was so important everyone had to hear it. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point, probably because she wouldn't want to be seen as arrogant or superior.
Wait, are you trying to tell me you know something about my wife?
No - I'm just guessing that that's why someone wouldn't keep referring to themselves as "Doctor" - it could be almost anyone with a Ph.D. What a stupid conclusion to jump to!
Well maybe don't guess things about my wife.
You're an idiot - you make a statement, then get offended when people pick you up on it. Maybe you should think about what you're disclosing in the first place, if you're that easily offended.
I'm an idiot. Right, okay then Mark Betts.
You're a total plank. You don't even recognise when you are talking shite.
Yes, I do think you're an idiot. I suppose you think people will be impressed when they see what you have to say. You have no point to make at all and what's it to me what you might think?
Did you read what you actually said, Mark? Because, on a discussion forum, people don't try to read your mind. They read what you say, trusting that you will say what you mean and mean what you say.
And you said: "The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point." Read it again. You typed those words. Not me. The fact that his wife rarely uses "Doctor" was exactly my point.
The only stupid conclusion that Mr. Cheesy jumped to was that you were saying what you meant, or that you meant what you said. It's a conclusion based on his kindness and decency. He generally treats other people with respect, and calling you out on what you said is, in fact, a form of respect. Given your behavior, it's stupid. But it's kind, decent, and respectful.
Unfortunately, some people treat kindness, decency, and respect as signs of weakness and regard honesty as an irrelevancy. They regard every interaction with other human beings as a fight that they have to win at all costs.
The current US president is one such person. You appear to be another. From the president, it's understandable: he's a power-mad narcissist with no pretensions of being anything else. You, on the other hand, claim to be an Orthodox Christian. It's perfectly reasonable for others to expect better from you.
On the other hand, if someone were to conclude that you're a wannabe Russian troll who got through propaganda school by the skin of your teeth, I wouldn't say that's unreasonable, given your behavior here.
You’re rude, you’re petulant, you’re arrogant, your default is to throw temper tantrums, you seem unwilling to endure even the slightest criticism of yourself or of Moscow and you see American plots behind any sentiment that doesn’t align with Moscow’s position.
If I didn’t know better, I’d suspect that the current occupant of the Oval Office had converted to Russian Orthodoxy and come aboard the ship of Fools.
You, Josephine, are a Troll. Mr Cheesy said the following:
That more or less tells me she has no desire to be called "Doctor." But you won't admit to being wrong will you? But no, I'm not wasting any more time reading what you have to say. Is it anything other than biased rubbish to make it look like everything I say and believe in is wrong, even to the point of defending Mr. Cheesy? I doubt it.
I mean, that's clearly the case, isn't it, Mark?
(also, I chose the Ship name Doc Tor because of my love of Doctor Who and the Daleks, not because I have a PhD.)
He did NOT say that she has no desire to be called Doctor. You made that part up.
Every word she said was to "have a go" - it wasn't balanced or constructive. Typical troll behaviour, if you ask me. She actually called me a "wannabe Russian troll" - so I can't see why people see her as all sweetness and light. If she was, then what is she doing posting in Hell at all, deliberately to provoke certain people? Do you honestly expect me to react to a post like that in a reasonable diplomatic manner? So long as you keep pretending it is "all me" and everyone else is acting just fine, I can't see the point in discussing this any further. If you were to say that most of us, even the holier-than-thou Josephine were wrong in part, then we might get somewhere.
OK - this time I'll admit I was wrong.
That was after I said you were posting out of a St Petersburg basement, so I claim bragging rights on that.
Not that I don't have a PhD. I do. Just that I didn't chose my shipname because of it.
Dude, do you mind keeping your assumptions about my wife out if this?
The sequence of events was that
1. You made a crass error in typing the correct shortened form for a Doctorate, having recently taken issue with someone else's typos.
2. You compound the error by using passive-aggression to highlight the saintliness of someone else's with a doctoral qualification. Presumably as a dig at people here who have earned doctorates.
3. I mentioned my wife to highlight that I, too, know people with doctorates but that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with your behaviour. That bringing up doctorates given that you can barely spell is rather ironic.
And
4. That you can fuck off and shut your trap.
5. You respond saying something about my wife, who you don't know
6. Bizarrely compounding my point 3
7. I give you an opportunity to take back your wild statements about my wife, who you don't know.
But
8. You double down, telling me and everyone else about my wife who you don't know.
9. Meanwhile you avoid talking about your behaviour towards Kmann, which is pretty disgusting - as almost all of us here agree - because you are talking about my wife. Who you don't know.
And ultimately
10. You tell Kmann that you are no longer talking about your abuse of him.
Ultimately, chum, you are a plank. If you can't see how this is disruptive towards members of this community and a waste of your own time, then nobody else can help you.
Mate, I never said anything about your wife to take back - are you hoping that I might? You would then really be able to stir things up, wouldn't you? Is that what you want?
I suspected you most likely did, but I'll stand by my apology - it's time we put it to bed.
To be precise, I did not call you a "wannabe Russian troll." I said that a reasonable person could conclude that, based on your behavior.
On the other hand, I did compare you to Donald Trump, and say that, like him, you appear to treat kindness, decency, and respect as signs of weakness, regard honesty as an irrelevancy, and treat every interaction with other human beings as a fight that you have to win at all costs.
And if you're looking for balanced and constructive, try Purgatory or All Saints. This is Hell.
Did you earn your Ph.D at the Donald Trump School of Rhetoric and Debate?
Not Ph.D. - One Art 'O' level.
Even if that were the case, that is not what troll behaviour is. Trolls don't post to 'have a go.' That is why I asked if you know what a troll is.
I didn't say Josephine was all sweetness and light. I don't even know Josephine. I haven't seen many posts by her. But observing what she had posted, I said she was engaging with you seriously and honestly. Seriously and honestly can also be critically. It can even be having a go at you. That is very different from troll behaviour though. Trolls post for very different reasons.
Calling a person a word you don't understand, because you perceived they were calling you it first, is exactly what five year olds do. It is pointless. It achieves nothing, other than to make people see you as childish and lacking intelligence, and then they will make fun of you. With a five year old, people might smile or laugh affectionately when they do it, while also teaching them not to do it, because it is not a helpful behaviour, and they want their child to grow into a functional adult who can communicate effectively with others. When full-grown adults do it (which, to be honest, I didn't even know actually happened until I came across you) people will not be so patient or indulgent. They will dismiss you as stupid, foolish, a person who hasn't matured. So why do you do it? Surely you have a thing in your brain that tells you you're being an idiot, and it would be better to say something you understand and make genuine attempts to communicate with people?
Mark wanted them both to himself, it seems. He kept making links into this thread too.
Honestly, no one cares what qualifications you have or don't have. Not in a mean way - it's just irrelevant. You're not Rodney from Only Fools and Horses.
At this moment, I'm reminded of the final form of the creature in Carpenter's The Thing. All threads have mutated into one gibbering, incoherent mess that just wants to convert the few remaining survivors into versions of itself.
You know how Terry Pratchett and Nail Gaiman (IIRC) observed that any cassette left in a car eventually turns into Queen's Greatest Hits?
Something similar seems to be going on here.
The clue is that Mark doesn't use the words "amazing", "terrible", "best", "smart", "great", "loser", and "tremendous" enough. A Trump sockpuppet wouldn't be able to resist using those words over and over. Josephine would be characterized as a "sad" and "bad" person instead of a troll.
Mark Betts and Trump are just coincidentally both self-satisfied dorks. One throws a forum into disorder, and one throws the world into disorder. Maybe Trump should set up his own online forum so that he can get his regular echo chamber fix. But then I get he already has that on Twitter
{Places chair facing into a corner. Firmly sits Mark in the chair. Hangs mirror in front of his face.}
See? This is you. This is also what you accuse everyone else of being and doing.
{Gives Mark stuffed animal of his choice for comfort in this scary situation.}
Sit here for 20 minutes.
That's a name I haven't heard in a long time.
I approve. Carry on.