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How to Assure Your Being Ignored in the Forums

By
Darkgolem



I have a ignore list when I write in
the forums.  Why?  Because the people who write this way in
forums are href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=218">downers. 
They find it necessary to demoralize and demean in the process of
writing their points.  That being the case, I bring to the table a
list of ways to assure your on my list, or (call me crazy) you could
avoid these things, assuring that your thoughts and comments are heard.
style="font-family: tahoma;">

Tone Is
Important.

Remember that your
words do not express a single thought, but multiple separate thoughts
at once.  You need to choose your words in such a way that they
belittle those who have disagreed with you.  Your views will be
more likely to be agreed with if you make sure that those who dissent
with your views look bad.



For example, instead of writing “I
don't think that your take on web spells are correct, because web
affects so many different types of opponents”, write “It's obvious to
any noob that web is very useful, because it affects so many different
types of opponents."  This
presents many thoughts at once; first, that you think web is better
than presented by the person who said otherwise, second, that the other
person is dumber than a href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=59">noob,
since it should be obvious to a noob, and (bonus!) it insults new
players, since it implies noobs are foolish or stupid.  This is
very efficient with your time. style="font-family: tahoma;">

style="font-weight: bold;">If Something Is Worth Writing, It Is
Worth Exaggerating

size="-1">It makes your point more
valid by exaggerating.  Don't go too far, href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album37&id=Angry1&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Arguing with a Warforged"
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album37/Angry1.sized.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 207px;" align="right">just
whenever using words like sometimes, instead use words or phrases such
as all the time.  Instead of saying something is powerful, say
it's almost the most powerful.  Qualify your exaggerations so that
if someone points out that your exaggerating, you can point at your
qualification and say they misunderstood.
style="font-family: tahoma;">


Another example:
style="font-family: tahoma;">


“Lightning spells are very powerful
spells in the game, since they are not often resisted, and you can get
lightning rods at 4th level to make them tougher.”
style="font-family: tahoma;">


Why just go there, instead write:
style="font-family: tahoma;">


“Lightning spells are overpowered in
a huge way.  First, almost nothing resists them and you can always
get a lighting rod to buff it from balanced to overpowered in no time.”
style="font-family: tahoma;">


Note that if someone comments that
there are creatures that resist lightning, I could say “I said almost”,
and if someone says that a lightning spell used with a lightning rod
isn't overpowered, you can say it's opinion (since balanced and
overpowered are objective statements).  This way you can turn your
viewpoints into accurate views, and other peoples objections or view
points into inaccurate views using other points in this article.
style="font-family: tahoma;">

Size Does Matter

Never make small
arguments.  If your repeat yourself, you actually can make your
point more valid.  The trick with this is to repeat yourself in
different ways.  Don't just say something with a simple statement,
but instead accentuate different points of the same complete thought in
different sentences.  This way, you accomplish two goals.
style="font-family: tahoma;">


First, people will tend to read only
part of your posts, and assume they have the gist of your views from
that.  When they comment, read the comment closely, and if they
miss or misconstrue something you wrote, use this to invalidate their
whole point (if it disagrees).  This turns what might be
considered a weakness in your writing (that is, making your posts
boring) into a strength.



Second, by writing more, as long as
your arguments are not completely repetitive, but use different ways of
saying the say points, you actually can fool those who are not
attentive into thinking your views are different.  Some assume
that by having multiple takes on the same subject, your views are more
valid.  Even better, some people don't have the time to answer
long responses point by point, and if they fail to answer, you can
assume that they agree with you.

Never Surrender

Think of any
different viewpoint as an attack upon you as a person.  Don't
respond this way, but instead use the other points in this article to
defend yourself.  Remember that you are always right, and if you
admit error in one point or another of your argument, what your
actually doing is giving them a way to show that all your points are
wrong.  That is, they can say that since your admitting error in
one point, this implies your wrong in all your points.
style="font-family: tahoma;">


This allows you to “win” your
argument, which of course is the point.  As long as you don't
admit any errors, if and when your opponent should get tired of arguing
with you, after a little while you can refer to their failure to answer
as an admission of defeat.  That is, if one poster doesn't answer
your repeated rebuttals, you can refer to this as a sign that the
poster admitted he or she was wrong.
style="font-family: tahoma;">

Take This Thread
to Cuba!

If you must, divert
a thread from it's original point to another, thereby giving you
leverage later.  Here's how it works.  First, find something
a poster who disagrees has written that is inaccurate.  If doesn't
matter if the inaccuracy is something you can size="-1"> href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/modules.php?full=1&set_albumName=album37&id=angry_2&op=modload&name=Gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php"> alt="Bring it on!"
src="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album37/angry_2.jpg"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 250px; height: 173px;" align="left"> size="-1">prove, as long as your
response seems reasonable and it can't be clearly disproved.
style="font-family: tahoma;">


In your response post, don't answer
the point the other poster had, but instead comment on their inaccuracy.
style="font-family: tahoma;">


Try to use a slightly more
sophisticated tone in your writing here. It gives a feeling of
superiority to your writing, regardless of the accuracy of it. 
This not only makes your writing seem more authoritative, it insults
the poster you are correcting.  If your poster should respond in a
negative tone (since you insulted him), you can keep up the mature
tone, eventually getting the moral high ground.
style="font-family: tahoma;">


If the other poster should respond
about your correction, turn the thread to arguing the new subject for a
while.  Once the other poster gives up, respond to your original
point, in such a way that implies that since no one has commented on
your original point, it's obvious that you are correct.
style="font-family: tahoma;">

Now You've Won!

By using these
techniques, if applied correctly, you show that you're a better person,
because you have won your argument, regardless if href="http://ddo.tentonhammer.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=210">objectively
you are right or wrong.  Bask in the enjoyment of your
victory.  And above all things, remember the golden rule of forum
writing.  If all else fails, and someone gives you a hard
argument, say that they are not willing to discuss points, and compare
them to a World War 2 dictator.



Like to comment (and yes, we moderate our forums), come href="http://forums.tentonhammer.com/showthread.php?t=5926">here to
our forums!