Hi there.
If you haven’t, please skim through the similarly-titled companion piece. Or, fuck, pretend that you did.
Ready? Cool.
Though I think that tone matters in dialogue (to the point that it is unabashedly a hill to die on for me), I’m also human. Which, of course, means that I have the capacity for idiocy. That basically happened today, as I typed words that didn’t get the point across that I was trying to convey. Worse, I did so in such a fashion that it inadvertently dogpiled on another poster who (per his/her admission) had already had to weather a similar statement, and who is a victim of the very sort of attack under discussion.
I fucked it up. Botched it completely. Which led to hurt feelings. Which led to a breakdown in communication. Which led to more hurt feelings. Which led to vitriol and bullshit heaped upon bullshit heaped upon bullshit. Trying to salvage it, but who knows how it’ll turn out?
In any case, if you know me at all, please give me the benefit of the doubt if I fuck up. Please feel free to tell me so. I’d prefer politely, but I understand that decorum isn’t really part and parcel of Internet discourse, particularly when folks are mad. I’m no troll, I’m not trying to bait you, I’m not trying to hurt you - the plain truth is that, at times, I fuck up. And, when I do, and I know that I have, I’ll apologize.
Prizefighters, on the other hand, can always fuck off. :)
EDIT: This is still sticking in my craw something fierce. Addendum: if there’s a misunderstanding, and we both/all know it, then either help me to deescalate, admit that you’re not interested in deescalation, or just ignore me. Better for everyone.