Lately I've been saying "plonk" a lot. For reasons that have so far eluded my feeble grasp, a few people (or perhaps just a few nyms) have objected to this, resorting to arguments ad hominem to express their displeasure.
I find this somewhat puzzling. Putting someone into a killfile, and letting them know it with a *plonk*, seems pretty mild. I've seen all manner of vicious, obscene insults here that have passed without comment. Yet when I say "*plonk*," people who haven't commented for months crawl out of the woodwork to tell me what a "retard" I am. Sad.
See, when you say I'm "retarded," you're either lying, or abusing someone with a severe disability. If I were actually retarded, I'd be suffering from a condition that would greatly impair my ability to function in society, pretty much screw up my quality of life. Abusing me for having such a burden would simply be adding to it - kind of like laughing at someone in a wheelchair.
But of course, no one believes I'm actually retarded. So when they say I am, they're lying. What's the point of that?
I could respond in kind. I am quite able to wax eloquent with abusive and insulting language. I am a past master at it. I've participated in months-long flame wars, trading insults with the best of them. I'm sure I haven't lost my touch.
But one day it occurred to me that even if I "win" in a flame war, all that makes me is asshole of the month (or the year, maybe). Such a "victory" would prove that I was better able to abuse, insult, and possibly hurt people than anyone else around. That's nothing to be proud of.
I don't have the discipline to just ignore insults I see. I tend to get angry and start insulting again, which isn't where I want to go. So I use my killfile to hide people who choose to abuse.
I say "*plonk*" to let the person know what I've done. It gives them an opportunity to consider what they've said to elicit such a response
- and perhaps to rethink their behavior. It's also something of a reproof, but a very mild one.
I wonder whether it's the trolls who object so vocally to my doing this. That would explain their anger - I'm not playing their game, engaging in flames.
In any case, no need for anyone to suffer from my actions. Just call me a retard. I'll plonk you, and you won't get any more responses from me. And the trolls can go back under the bridge.