this post was submitted on 28 Feb 2024
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Sealioning (lemmy.world)
submitted 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 7 points 8 months ago (3 children)

When I’m not sure, I just give them the benefit of the doubt. For example, there’s a good chance that the person replying to me speaks English well, but it’s not their first language. Also, their cultural norms might be very different from my own. It could be a simple misunderstanding, too. Overreacting would just make things worse.

When it’s obvious that the person replying is just being a pedantic nuisance, though, I merely stop responding. They may think they’ve “won”, but so what? I can go to bed knowing I don’t waste my time sealioning.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 8 months ago (2 children)

They may think they’ve “won”, but so what?

The point of internet arguments is not to convince your opponent. That never happens.

The point is to convince the audience, and if you just leave then it looks like the sealion is right.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago (2 children)

When the comment chain goes on long enough, there is no more audience.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Depends. If it's a subject I feel strongly about I'll go down the whole damn chain upvoting and downvoting as applicable.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Addendum: when a comment chain goes on long enough in both length and time since the original post, there is no more audience.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

One of the things I miss about forum threads sorted by most recent comment

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

At which point the sea lioning has been obvious. You're not going to see the person you disagree with getting the "last word" and think they "won".

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago

Nah. It almost always devolves into one person making an effort while the other's just being an ass.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

That would be a draw imo

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The point of internet arguments is not to convince your opponent. That never happens.

Why do you think that is?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Human psychology, probably.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (1 children)

The thing is a true sealion only "wins" by dragging you into a long offtopic comment chain.

Professional sealions (we don't have them here yet thank god) come armed with a list of "talking points" they use to try to derail genuine conversations and turn them into something else.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Damn, that’s sad. I have nothing but pity for anyone who considers themselves a “true” or “professional” sea lion.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Eh, they get paid.

I'm talking about the 50 Cent-ers, the BJP IT, the Hasbara trolls, the Russian troll army, the Indonesian troll army etc etc etc.

Not sure what they conceptualize it as but they do tend to sealion.

Pretty sure Zucc has one as well, and that dodgy remote work company that advertises on Reddit definitely employs a couple of people.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

They may think they’ve “won”, but so what?

Yeah, I think this is kind of the correct mentality. The currency of trolls is (you)s, you should only feed trolls if they're giving you something actually interesting or novel or amusing in return, rather than getting baited, or giving up and ignoring it altogether. I think it's important for people to reward comments that they like with thought-out responses, rather than the other way around.