I just had an odd interaction. Someone called me a liar (online, heavens to betsy), so I gave a very low energy "grey" response. They escalated and seemed to get angry at that. I kept giving just very short "eh" responses and their responses rapidly got more extreme and unhinged. I don't think I even really defended myself or anything.

I realise I've had this a few times. Just people weirdly escalating to exterminating all leftists or threatening genocide after what were very normal responses on my part. Maybe my responses weren't that normal?

The hell was going on? Did they think they were winning something?

  • happybadger [he/him]
    ·
    1 year ago

    When someone starts going monkey, the best response I've found is "you sound mad". No matter what they say in response you just give some variation of "That's what I would say if I were mad". The more they try to reason their way out of it or deny it or insult you, all they get is "wow that sounds so mad" and subsequent variations.

    For the kind of goober triggered by "eh", the thing they hate more than anything else in the world is being told that they sound mad.

    • GorbinOutOverHere [comrade/them]
      ·
      1 year ago

      this move is like the troll's checkmate and I learned it in my youth playing heroes of newerth

      i even named my account you_mad

      • happybadger [he/him]
        ·
        1 year ago

        I think it's the cliche of it that really twists the knife. It's not only the most infuriating kind of dismissal, but it's so low-effort that it's a meme I learned in like 2002. They don't even get to try to debate a real person, just the ghost of 4chan past.