Girl Gamer

I see people troll/abuse females on forums and you guys just go "Fair enough, but" or "Sorry you feel that way". Giving up ground for a bad argument? That just makes them look important because you're giving them status.

If someone actually has a good point go ahead and address it, but with posts like this http://www.girlgamer.com/community/forums/thread/2862/ that are nothing more than rants (that guy's post might as well end with "WAAAAH Why aren't women doing my laundry/cooking for me/being 1950's the way I like it anymore?").

I want to see ladies go:

"I don't agree." No more needed. Let them bury themselves defending their points instead of leaning on you to defend yours. If you find yourself "defending" against garbage you're doing it wrong.

Internet is free to do whatever they want (mostly) and if you get offended in any kind of way, you should report the topic for being inappropriate. Or you can do as many others to just ignore the trolls! Since you cant argue with trolls...

Anyone who still thinks that girls playing video games is a farce has very low social intelligence and is really not worth arguing with.

Anyone who thinks this thread is about offense (protip: it's not) reread my post.

"If someone actually has a good point go ahead and address it, but with posts like this http://www.girlgamer.com/community/forums/thread/2862/ that are nothing more than rants (that guy's post might as well end with "WAAAAH Why aren't women doing my laundry/cooking for me/being 1950's the way I like it anymore?")."

Just to clarify, are you just talking about the original post for that thread and the resulting page or so of discussion, or were you referring to other posts in there?

I posted in there recently and I fear maybe what I said was taken the wrong way (since I am new, I am still learning the do's and don't's)

I agree, some but people really are just ignorant and just don't know any better. It's nice to talk to people who actually want to listen and understand.

As for trolls, I don't mind wasting my time arguing with someone when I'm bored. (though with the first guy I was admittedly overly rage-y and a bit irrational.) I just hate when people come in under the guise of wanting to learn but really just want to spout off a bunch of b.s. and stereotypes.

"I see people troll/abuse females on forums and you guys just go "Fair enough, but" or "Sorry you feel that way". Giving up ground for a bad argument? That just makes them look important because you're giving them status.

If someone actually has a good point go ahead and address it, but with posts like this http://www.girlgamer.com/community/forums/thread/2862/ that are nothing more than rants (that guy's post might as well end with "WAAAAH Why aren't women doing my laundry/cooking for me/being 1950's the way I like it anymore?").

I want to see ladies go:

"I don't agree." No more needed. Let them bury themselves defending their points instead of leaning on you to defend yours. If you find yourself "defending" against garbage you're doing it wrong."

Sorry, I don't qualify as one of those. I love to eat trolls. 8)

I think you're absolutely right. I think more people in general - and especially more guys - need to point out that trollish behavior is unacceptable. That's not to say that we should expect the trolls to learn anything (or stop, because they won't), but it might point out to others reading the thread that immature, degrading, and infantile behavior is not acceptable on the internet or anywhere else.

After all, most of the bullsh*t we seem to be expected to put up with online we would not expect to ever see or hear offline, much less be expected to put up with it. And some people will say "but my internets freedomz!!" That's crap. Acting like a neanderthal is not "freedom." It's bigotry, and, quite frankly, it infringes on MY freedom to not feel like I'm being treated like a lesser species.

</end rant>

I just say, "Bye-bye!" and block people like that. What's the point?

"I agree, some but people really are just ignorant and just don't know any better. It's nice to talk to people who actually want to listen and understand.
As for trolls, I don't mind wasting my time arguing with someone when I'm bored. "

Echo, I agree with you that those who want to understand and are just saying stuff you don't agree with aren't trolls and if you can do it they should be engaged in fair debate and conversation. You make a very good point.

In those situations I think sometimes people get their threat detection alerts and attack but this is not right to do. A troll is not just someone who has an opinion you don't like/think is ignorant/or is unhappy with you. A troll is a person pretending to care about your issue to make you mad. Their goal is to piss you off and instigate your rage.

I like the three questions method for dealing with someone you don't agree with (And this is an excellent filter for determining who is a troll and who is really ignorant but sincerely engaging with you). Basically what you do is ask someone you disagree with a minimum of THREE questions about what they're saying. Sometimes you think you know what their point is but instead ask them anyway. Good examples are:

Are you saying "X, Y, Z?"
Why do you think X?
Is your main issue "A, B, C?"
It sounds like you are saying X.

It helps me a lot and it keeps me from getting angry at what I THINK someone is saying and thus I keep cool (which prevents the troll from getting what they want--IE getting me mad).