What shall we do?

[farmerEd]

Quote:

I do ignore it. *I will not respond directly or indirectly to anything it says. *I will not even type the characters that form its name. *I STILL find its activity EXTREMELY disruptive. *I would stake any amount of money on the bet that I am not the only one.

By a quick scan, 4 of your last 10 posts have to do with banning *****, directly or indirectly...thats not ignoring him...if he IS a troll, and I am not saying that he is or isn't, you all are doing exactly what a troll wants....

I suggest those of you who are so bothered by what ***** posts, and waste your time worrying about it, should go back to work 40 hours a week and donate your nest-egg to someone that can find something more fun to do with the financial freedom....and thats my last word on this subject.

I for one gotta go feed my sheep, check my maple syrup buckets to see if the sap is running yet and do some planning on the layout for the new barn I am going to build in the spring when the earth dries out a bit....nowhere on my list is "worry about what some other poster is saying about SWR's"

[hocus]

I will not even type the characters that form its name.

TH made reference to this sort of thing last night. He said that there are people in the community who hate me. I said that I didn't think that was so. The words above are supportive of the TH position, I'll give him that much.

I still find it hard to believe that there are people who have permitted hatred to enter their hearts because of something that someone else said on an internet discussion board. It is hard for me to imagine that this could really be so, so I always assume that most of this sort of stuff that we see put forward is just being put forward for tactical purposes.

Anyway, the feeling is not mutual, Brewer12345. I don't hate Brewer or TH or intercst or any of the others. I disagree with them on SWRs. I do not hate them as people.

To the extent that the people who say that they hate me really do, that is surely part of the problem. There was a guy at the Motley Fool board who said that he thought that the SWR issue sounded like something that would be discussed at an economist's tea party. I agree with that guy. I guess it might be possible to develop a feeling of hatred towards someone who posted opposing views on abortion. But is it possible to hate someone because they have opposing views on SWRs? It is impossible for me even to write those words without worrying that I am insulting people's intelligence by doing so. No offense intended to anyone present, but this is insane.

There is some reason for all the emotion we are seeing evidence itself, and I would like to know what it is. I usually attrobute it to the intercst matter, but I don't think that can possibly be the only thing going on. Is it that people feel that I am questioning their beliefs re investing?

If that's what it is, then this emotional stuff is board business. We should be trying to understand it. I'm not trying to take digs here. I am sincere in putting forward the idea that there is some sort of phenomenon going on here that is worth understanding better.

Say that we have a big drop in stock prices. Say that the DOW falls to 5,000. What happens then? Do we just give up on the idea of early retirement? I don't want to give up on it. I want to keep building on the foundation we have laid. I think we need to have a plane with more than one wing if we are going to be able to fly straight for the long term. We need more diversity of investing viewpoints.

I represent no threat to anyone. If I am really a nut case, then why is it that what I say bothers some people so much? There's something important going on here under the surface. When people feel so strongly about shutting down a discussion, that is evidence that there is a need for that discussion to be heard. I very much believe that. The very fact that some people so much want to shut it down is an argument for not shutting it down, in my view.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Ignoring this troll doesnt solve anything. I can line up people who have been suffering with it for 5 years that will attest to that.

And it has absolutely, positively nothing whatsoever to do with "SWR's". That is simply the topic this troll has chosen to create dissension. It keeps trying to make the case that this is about open and honest two sided debate. It isnt. It has absolutely no purpose other than to create dissension for dissensions sake.

So FarmerEd, you're satisfied with someone who has no real purpose that creates new users who start posts that have no intent other than to start an argument?

That: good; people who resent the disruption and try to fight it: bad. Interesting perspective.

Maybe this can be summed up by one question: why would anyone subject themselves to this much abuse?

They'd either have to be a troll or the most saintly person on earth trying to save all of our souls.

The troll has already argued that its the latter. What do you think?

And remember...a year ago I stuck up for this troll with the same arguments...just ignore it...whats the big deal...he has the right to his opinion. It called me its "hero". I made a lot of enemies in the community by standing up for it.

I gave it the full benefit of the doubt. Listened to its so-called "tool" thesis. When I pointed out the flaws and limitations that essentially made it worthless...suffice it to say I was no longer its hero. It whined about censorship and bans...then when it got moderator power at another board, it started censoring away opinions that made a reasonable case against its supposed "tool". Then it called for a ban of Intercst for a "campaign of lies and terror". About 80% of the posting base left that board and never returned.

What do you call that exactly?

[brewer12345]

TH, I think its time for another animal with food on its head...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Sorry to say I have another idea.

[dory36]

Quote:

Seems like it [a separate board] would be a win-win for everyone...

OK, let's give this a try. The new board is set up.

I have asked ***** to present his ideas in a positive fashion, and to present those ideas on that board only.

I am asking others to de-escalate.

We'll see what happens.

Dory36


The difference between the Boy Scouts and the ER forum is that the Boy Scouts have adult leadership.

[laurence]

Dory, good decision, and we can all play "sheriff" and tell anyone who starts debating SWR methedology to take it to the new board! I will miss the animals with food on their head, though.

[dory36]

Quote:

Dory, good decision, and we can all play "sheriff" *and tell anyone who starts debating SWR methedology to take it to the new board! *I will miss the animals with food on their head, though. *

One of my secret powers is to move a discussion from one section to another, so if you see it, just let me know (preferably by private message -- I might miss it otherwise).

Of course, David Letterman made me promise to use my powers only for good, never for evil. (This would make nose sense except to Letterman addicts...)

[yakers]

Dory,

Thank you. Merci, gracias

[charlie]

One way to look at it is that ***** inspired kayaks,
and pancakes in strange places ..... sort of like the
grain of sand in an oyster that produces a pearl.

TH & Co., thanks for the laughs .....

Cheers,

Charlie

[arrete]

I only have a minute, but if you think ***** won't blast people in other discussions, good luck. He blasted me on my introductory post on the NFB and went on later to call me a barking and snarling attack dog. I think that classifies as a personal attack.

I have never posted on his own personal board (and never will). These attacks were in other forums.

I think giving him his own forum here is a huge mistake. As one being personally denigrated by this person time and again, he will at some point personally attack other people here, try to be divisive, and generally cause termoil. That's how he gets his jollies.

arrete

arrete

[brewer12345]

I agree with arrete. Banning is the only way to go.

[retire@40]

Quote:

OK, let's give this a try. The new board is set up. I have asked ***** to present his ideas in a positive fashion, and to present those ideas on that board only. I am asking others to de-escalate. We'll see what happens. Dory36

Dory, at first I thought you were making a big mistake by what you did, but now I understand your brilliance. You put the manure in a box and most of the flies went away with it. Now I can avoid the manure box and spend less time sorting through the garbage and get to the good stuff. Thanks.