Reply #9: As if the Freepers weren't bad enough. [View All]

My favorites are those few who spend their time looking for posts to criticize, then subtly - or not - attack the poster as ignorant and uninformed or criticize an idea as unworkable without providing an alternative. There have been several of these types posting in threads about alternative energy lately with two basic strategies:

1) No single form of alternative energy can replace fossil fuels, so why bother?
2) Alternative energy is unaffordable, under every circumstance, so why bother?

Others personally attack people who try to post politely - those not using variations of the F-bomb in every sentence, or attempting to make peace and bring sanity to an otherwise contentious thread - because they sense some vulnerability. I never spent much time looking at the candidate threads, but I expect that most of those attacks happened there, though I've had my share on other threads.

I know where these people are coming from because, after eighteen years in DC, I finally figured them out. Seriously, I was a nice, clueless guy until very recently. They have nothing to offer but negativity and they get off by dominating and demeaning other people. However, they are also huge, craven cowards and will ONLY attack those they believe are weak enough to beat down.

The rules for ruining THEIR day are simple:

1) Never, ever take them seriously.
2) Think before you post a response, do some research if you have to.
3) Never post angry, unless it's a calm, informed anger.
4) Alert on their lousy ass(es). They don't deserve to be here.

Basically, don't play their game, don't roll over for them and you win. Hell, we all win 'cause they'll run off to another board with easier pickings.