Author Topic: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments  (Read 4050 times)

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Offline Idaho_Cowboy

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This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
By Caitlin Dewey The Washington Post
Published Oct. 10, 2016

Civic discourse has skidded into what we might politely term a "rough spot." So much as mention the election or trans bathrooms or Black Lives Matter and you're in for an argument.

But next time you're watching your cousin's Facebook wall devolve into a flame war, or bravely facing the constant cable news onslaught, please remember that matters could always get worse: On Twitter there are people arguing with bots.

Those bots -- slyly named @good_opinions and @opinions_good -- are the work of Nora Reed, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based activist and artist. For the past three months, both have been tweeting bland, vaguely liberal opinions like "feminism is good" or "I think Donald Trump is awful," and then firing off one of 18 canned responses to anyone who questions them. (Reed, needless to say, is a progressive activist -- but one imagines the results would be much the same if someone on the other side deployed bots to troll progressives.)

Those responses include "wow," "your (sic) wrong" and "Google it" -- otherwise known as the holy trinity of Internet rhetoric. And while they're not particularly sophisticated or provocative arguments, a lot of people are ... arguing back at them.

"The project was inspired largely by the responses to my other bots and my experiences with Twitter in general," Reed said. "What I've noticed about these people -- both the ones who talk to my bots and the ones who talk to me -- is that none of them are really interested in conversation. They have preconceptions about people who mention the topics that they're searching for and canned arguments that they want to use, and they're just looking for an opportunity to spew those at strangers."...
Read more at http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1016/dewey101016.php3#P7WgfXXigCIQMvSH.99
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Oceander

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2016, 09:21:06 pm »
:silly:

Wonder how many I've argued with?

Offline Idaho_Cowboy

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2016, 09:22:16 pm »
:silly:

Wonder how many I've argued with?
Me too. It really makes you think.  :laugh:
“The way I see it, every time a man gets up in the morning he starts his life over. Sure, the bills are there to pay, and the job is there to do, but you don't have to stay in a pattern. You can always start over, saddle a fresh horse and take another trail.” ― Louis L'Amour

Offline Fishrrman

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2016, 02:29:29 am »
A digital version of this:



Nothing new under the sun!

Offline bolobaby

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2016, 02:48:16 am »
It may explain why certain Trumpettes on this site make the same tired arguments over and over again...
How to lose credibility while posting:
1. Trump is never wrong.
2. Default to the most puerile emoticon you can find. This is especially useful when you can't win an argument on merits.
3. Be falsely ingratiating, completely but politely dismissive without talking to the points, and bring up Hillary whenever the conversation is really about conservatism.
4. When all else fails, remember rule #1 and #2. Emoticons are like the poor man's tweet!

Offline Blizzardnh

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2016, 09:57:40 am »
A digital version of this:



Nothing new under the sun!
:silly:

Offline Weird Tolkienish Figure

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2016, 12:29:53 pm »
Liberals are generally so unintelligent that they're basically bots. Same canned thought patterns.

Offline Gefn

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2016, 12:56:26 pm »
A digital version of this:



Nothing new under the sun!

I have a 20 year old 8 ball. Still works and everything! They really make them to last- as long as you don't drop em!
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Offline bigheadfred

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2016, 01:12:10 pm »
I have a 20 year old 8 ball. Still works and everything! They really make them to last- as long as you don't drop em!

How many years of bad luck do you get if you drop one?
She asked me name my foe then. I said the need within some men to fight and kill their brothers without thought of Love or God. Ken Hensley

Offline Suppressed

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2016, 07:50:10 pm »
How many years of bad luck do you get if you drop one?

What if it gets stuck on TRY AGAIN LATER?
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Offline bigheadfred

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2016, 10:31:50 pm »
What if it gets stuck on TRY AGAIN LATER?

You convert to Hinduism.
She asked me name my foe then. I said the need within some men to fight and kill their brothers without thought of Love or God. Ken Hensley

Offline Cripplecreek

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #11 on: October 29, 2016, 10:38:44 pm »
:silly:

Wonder how many I've argued with?

I doubt I've wasted much time on them. I've become increasingly anti argumentative. I say what I have to say and move on ignoring most further responses.

Offline bigheadfred

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #12 on: October 29, 2016, 10:54:20 pm »
I doubt I've wasted much time on them. I've become increasingly anti argumentative. I say what I have to say and move on ignoring most further responses.

Ah so...
She asked me name my foe then. I said the need within some men to fight and kill their brothers without thought of Love or God. Ken Hensley

Offline Cripplecreek

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Offline aligncare

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #14 on: October 30, 2016, 01:46:42 pm »

It may explain why certain NeverTrumpers on this site make the same tired arguments over and over again...

Offline XenaLee

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Offline sinkspur

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #16 on: October 30, 2016, 01:49:28 pm »
It may explain why certain NeverTrumpers on this site make the same tired arguments over and over again...

And why Trumpkins' only argument for Donald is "But he's not Hillary." 
Roy Moore's "spiritual warfare" is driving past a junior high without stopping.

Offline guitar4jesus

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #17 on: October 30, 2016, 01:49:44 pm »
I doubt I've wasted much time on them. I've become increasingly anti argumentative. I say what I have to say and move on ignoring most further responses.

Aye.

Offline aligncare

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #18 on: October 30, 2016, 01:56:56 pm »
It certainly explains fools like @DCPatriot , @aligncare , @Right_in_Virginia , @katzenjammer , and the rest of their kind.

Personal insults? Tsk tsk tsk. I'm going to tell mommy on you.

Offline Smokin Joe

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #19 on: October 30, 2016, 02:18:47 pm »
It may explain why certain Trumpettes on this site make the same tired arguments over and over again...
Oh, you're just supporting Crooked Hillary!  :silly: :silly: :silly:
(/sarcasm)

Not just here...
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Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

C S Lewis

Offline bigheadfred

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #20 on: October 30, 2016, 02:37:10 pm »
Personal insults? Tsk tsk tsk. I'm going to tell mommy on you.
@Oceander  @Smokin Joe

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Offline Smokin Joe

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #21 on: October 31, 2016, 03:10:53 am »
@Oceander  @Smokin Joe

Parent Teacher Night

Teacher: Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Care, Align IS evolving. But it is going to take him 20,000 years to catch up with the rest of the class.  :laugh:
No child left behind?
How God must weep at humans' folly! Stand fast! God knows what he is doing!
Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

C S Lewis

Offline bigheadfred

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Re: This bot expertly baits Internet imbeciles into losing arguments
« Reply #22 on: October 31, 2016, 03:15:48 am »
No child left behind?

Skinned knuckles and all.
She asked me name my foe then. I said the need within some men to fight and kill their brothers without thought of Love or God. Ken Hensley