Sometimes I think DU is filled with strange people

[TayTay]

There are times when we are all mostly on the same side. Then there are times when I think that Bizarro World and the Real World have collided and we are getting cross-overs.

I have found different types of posters here, and they cross categories from people who I agree with with to people I do not. It can be so strange to hang out at DU. (In general and not in specifics.)

Some categories: (But not a definitive list. Open to suggestions.)

New Best Friend: That great feeling you get when you find simpatico people. Great when it happens. Makes you feel not quite so alone in the universe.

People who should be your New Best Friend but, for some reason, you can't stand them: Most puzzling event in the world. We agree on principles, we agree on actions, we agree on tactics and sometimes even on specific people. But you can't stand this person anyway. There's just something about 'em that you can't put your finger on. (Incipient lefty-freeperness? Not sure.)

People who are so depressing, they make you wish the internet had never been born: Seriously, Clarence Angel, 2nd Class, never met these people. No matter how wonderful some event is and how great it might be for the Democrats, these people have the ability to see through it and detect the doom that is coming. Hey, it's looking good for the Democrats this fall, right? No, the Democrats have no chance at all, the machines will steal the vote and it's all hopeless and beyond redemption. BTW, do you want to sign another petition to Washington that I'm sure won't get read? I recommend it, but I'm not really sure why as it won't do any good.

People who want to be my New Best Friend but piss me off instead:
Wow! Kerry sure screwed up everything he ever did, but I think there may be a glimmer of hope for him. Maybe we can now talk about all his shortcomings and then talk about his slim chance of redeeming himself.
Me: Bite me.
But you have to admit, he didn't do everything that a real Liberal Warrior would have done and I know that you have the best interests of the Democratic Party at heart, so I know you will join me in praising him with damning and very faint praise.
Me: Blow me.
I really need your help. I just discovered that Kerry doesn't suck nearly as badly as I thought and I was hoping you would share some 'forgive and forget' time with me and, my oh my, that's some nice access to info that you have there. Will you be my New Best Friend?
Me: OMG! They are trying to blow me. The only thing I'm going to get out of this is an STD.

So, what examples of the human species can you bring back here?

[Island Blue]

1. There's The Flavor of the Day Connoisseur.

Always ready to sample "Today's Catch". Never satisfied - always looking for something new.

[WildEyedLiberal]

2. HAHAHAHAHA

"The only thing I'm going to get out of this is an STD."



It is best to keep such people at arm's length, much as one would a drunken prostitute wearing too much makeup and cheap perfume. Their overtures are awkward, the union would be forced, and likely you'd wake up in the morning with more than just regrets. You never know what kind of gutter those people have been crawling around in, or, ah, what kind of company they, ah, keep.

Your vigilance is to be admired, ma'am.

[ProSense]

3. I'm so glad you posted this. It's really an interesting phenomenon

This type drives me crazy too:

Obviously, there is a difference between being victimized and “playing the victim,” and some people play the victim cunningly to justify tearing down others.

I remember growing up and watching teenagers when they decided to be mean, watching the bullies and observing the cunning ones who always played victim. The latter is the worse kind. The young people who did mean things once in a while were just being mean (other problem for other discussion). The bullies you could spot a mile away. The "perpetual victim" type was always out to destroy others, and obviously that mentality and behavior is pervasive in adults.

Example: In my neighborhood the H.S. dropout rate was a problem. There were those who dropped out and went about their business, doing whatever to survive. There were those who became bullies, thugs. Then there were those who seemed hell bent on ruining the young people who stayed in school. They were always spreading rumors about a kid thinking he or she is better than another individual; always attacking the youngsters character when all the he/she wanted was to go to school and take pride in that. Some of these kids under attack were dealing with a lot of other issues: family problems, personal issues (some mental) and peer pressure (from bullies). The mean-spirited perpetual victims dropped out of school and refused to move on with their lives, but spent countless hours trying to disparage youngsters who were making their best effort to survive and succeed. It seems to me the normal thing to do when you know someone who goes on to do better things and aspires to better things, is to encourage them. It’s not normal to try to talk them out of it or criticize them for it.

Ever been romantically involved with someone who doesn't want you to make a career move that's in your best interest? Same thing. In such instances, someone like that will offer to accept your decision while still disagreeing with it, want to break up with you, or say they accept it, but try to derail it with deceptive tactics. Bingo the latter. That's what I'm discovering a lot in the stuff online---from pundits, media, bloggers, posters, everybody. The worse part of it is playing the victim reels in supporters and makes it very hard to ferret out the facts. The perpetual victim usually approaches someone who they've had limited or no contact with, but is a mutual acquaintance of the person being targeted, and tries to endear him/herself to that person. "You will understand where I'm coming from" or "you are different," is a likely approach. If the person confronts the perpetual victim, stands firm and says, "I don't think that person believes he/she is superior because he/she wants to get a high school degree and is focused on trying to get into college," the reaction is usually anger or more devious behavior, and if possible they begin to target that person. It's sick, they are destructive and cannot be appeased. They are not looking to be appeased. They are only out to destroy.

[TayTay]

5. That is a most insidious form of human vampire

People like that can do a lot of damage. I knew some ones like you described above. Those are the folks you learn to address immediately with your true feelings and then avoid like the plague.

Human behavior is so puzzling.

[WildEyedLiberal]

4. BTW

Add this to your journal, please.

[TayTay]

7. I did.

I have been in the
Bite me
Blow me
OMG! They want to blow me

dilemma before DU. It's just strange when it happens. The later category usually happens when someone discovers that they need something real bad from you (a story, a signature, a witty posting that reflects your incredible insight and intelligence. Ahm, okay, maybe not that last one so much, but you get the ideer.) It does happen out in the greater world. It's just usually obvious to me what is happening and the other soul thinks it is not. That is both funny and pathetic. (Oh God, it happened the other day on another thread not in here.)

[JohnKleeb]

6. I'll add one

Spinners: When you prove their bullcrap to be untrue they accuse you of all sorts of things and use tons of hyperbole.
Talking from recent experience here.

[karynnj]

8. What surprises me the most are some people

who after months of snarky comments, will after some Kerry action finally concede that he is a good guy trying to do what's best - only to find them still whining about Kerry's not trying hard enough to win or some other nonsense.

Or the people, who from their comments really agree with Kerry's position more than the candidate they support, so they twist excerpts from their candidate's comments to imply that he was first on something.

Or people, who accept a candidate who looks, talks, and has contributed like a Republican - claim anything found that normally would cause them to go ballistic is irrelevent - but would have a 900 post thread if someone posted a story that Kerry did something wrong in first grade and conclude that it proved he was going to grow up to be a DLC DINO. Where is their judgement.

[JohnKleeb]

9. I was actually talking about something else unrelated to Kerry

but yeah I see what you mean. I swear to god here on the baords there are too many who can do no wrong and too many like Kerry who can do no right. Not much in between it feels like.

[sandnsea]

10. I "just want to help"

Which I just ran into on a Kos thread when somebody was obviously discrediting what I wrote, and when confronted, said all of his rebuttals were actually him being Mr. Helpful.

[BlueIris]

11. People...hit you up for information?

Holy shit.

I can't believe that.

Where do they think they are, on an Aaron Sorkin series? Good Lord? I hope you do respond to those brain donors by telling them exactly what they can suck for that kind of behavior.

[ProSense]

12. This is an insightful thread. n/t