Negativesmart » Irrational Idiots http://www.negativesmart.com Vehemently opposed to margarine. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:08:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Holding my tongue. Holding my tongue. Holding my tongue. http://www.negativesmart.com/2010/01/28/holding-my-tongue-holding-my-tongue-holding-my-tongue/ http://www.negativesmart.com/2010/01/28/holding-my-tongue-holding-my-tongue-holding-my-tongue/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:32:04 +0000 Candice http://www.negativesmart.com/?p=106404658 When people are too irrational to bother arguing with, there are a few strategies that can be used. PZ Myers is a proponent of ridicule, and that seems to be fairly effective in many cases. However, if no intervention is required in order to prevent harm to third parties, I prefer to go with the tested and true “don’t feed the trolls” method (if you can call it a method, considering that it calls for doing absolutely nothing). Trolls can eat anything. Even completely ignoring them can occasionally encourage them. However, if a tree falls in the forest blah blah blah, and I think something about a black box full of question marks or an orbiting teapot might be relevant here as well.

One of my favourite applications of troll non-feeding is from The Simpsons episode “Treehouse of Horror VI”, where the characters are sold on the idea that “if people stop paying attention to [advertising], pretty soon, it goes away” by a jingle, performed by Paul Anka. Of course, “advertising” here refers to monstrous commercial mascots brought to life by an ionic disturbance, but if you take the word “monsters” metaphorically, this little song provides excellent instructions for handling bullshit (and it’s currently stuck in my head):

Paul Anka: To stop those monsters 1-2-3,
Here’s a fresh new way that’s trouble-free,
It’s got Paul Anka’s guarantee…
Lisa: Guarantee void in Tennessee.
All: Just don’t look! Just don’t look!
Just don’t look! Just don’t look!
Just don’t look! Just don’t look!

It’s hard to remain passive when confronted by painful levels of stupid (I’ve been struggling all day), but together, we can do it!

I’d tell you who inspired me to post this, but they’re egosurfers, and I don’t want to feed them. If you get information from the same sources as me, and know anything about me (both semi-likely, if you’re reading this), you might be able to guess. But don’t. Because then they will have won.

]]> http://www.negativesmart.com/2010/01/28/holding-my-tongue-holding-my-tongue-holding-my-tongue/feed/ 6