General Question about "sock puppet" accusations.

[USArmyParatrooper]

I'm pretty new here, I'm very opinionated and DU is a political forum. As a result from time to time I get into some heated exchanges, and I think that's understandable.

But what seems strange to me is how often a disagreement immediately turns into an accusation that I'm really some other guy revisited. On different occasions I've been accused of being a few different people.

And honestly it doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I think it's hilarious. But my curiosity can't help but wonder WHY some people resort to that tactic. It doesn't make any sense. I mean, if you don't like someone can't they just be someone you don't like? What's the reasoning behind trying to pin that person as someone else entirely?

This isn't about rehashing those ridiculous accusations because they're usually swiftly deleted. I'm more or less trying to get an understanding of DU culture, for better or worse. Thanks.

[fascisthunter]

1. no... it bothers you

[USArmyParatrooper]

2. OK OK you got me

No but seriously, why would it? It's not even an insult.

[MineralMan]

18. I like your ribbon. It's as colorful as a rainbow.

I have ribbons, too, but I wasn't a paratrooper. But, I have one of these:

[USArmyParatrooper]

24. You want to talk about rainbow ribbons?

I don't know what branch you were but have you seen the Army Service Ribbon?

[MineralMan]

26. USAF. That is, indeed, a rainbow ribbon.

Very nice.

[CJCRANE]

3. If your posts seem similar to another poster's

then you might be accused of that.

[USArmyParatrooper]

5. How about multiple other posters?

As I said I've been accused of being a few different people.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

22. Tell them you are with the CIA even if you are with the CID. It throws people off thinking you are..

....with the CIC.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Seems to bother you, in spite of your protests...

If it didn't, why would you post this? Do you strongly prefer marionettes or what? Let's take a survey. If you suspect your coworker is a marionette, would you: A. Feel uncomfortable
B. Keep staring at his strings. C. Mention that your cousin is a Muppet. or
D. Consider purchasing a new shower curtain?

[USArmyParatrooper]

6. If you want to believe it bothers me I'm OK with that.

As I said in the OP I'm just trying to understand DU. Apparently the accusation is such a common theme DU has actually made a rule against it.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. I asked why, if not bothered, you'd op on the subject

I also made fun joke. You did not reply to either thing. Such behavior here or in life will get you called all manner of things. Passive aggressive balderdash. Own your feelings.

[USArmyParatrooper]

11. And I answered

"As I said in the OP I'm just trying to understand DU." <---- look familiar?

Would you like me to lie and say it bothers me? OK, it really bothers me when someone accuses me of being a former DU member named Steve.

[LWolf]

7. It may stem from

some posters tombstoned who show up on other conservative sites to gloat about how they trolled, and to share their plans for re-registering under a different name.

There are some who believe that among all the anonymous posters there exist paid disruptors, who will return again and again under different handles.

I wouldn't worry about it. To be honest, the larger the site has grown, the less "underground" it has become, the more mainstream, and the more heated the exchanges.

Since the '08 election, beginning with primary season, the site (and perhaps, the party) has seen civil war between issues and party, left-leaning and traditional Ds and "centrists" and neoliberals, and more heat and conflict than I've seen in the previous almost 6 years.

:shrug:

[USArmyParatrooper]

9. I've seen it as well on Dailykos although I frame it differently

I don't see it as "far left" vs. "center left"

It's more or less those who approve of the job President Obama is doing vs. those who don't. I don't subscribe to the notion that that those who disapprove are de facto further left than those who approve.

Obama still enjoys 85% or so approval among Liberal Democrats.

You know what I think it really boils down to? Some people just need to be angry, and with the Republicans no longer in power who's left?

[laughingliberal]

12. (sigh) eom

[Spike89]

27. Need to be angry? Maybe some, but not even most

I'm actually on the not angry side (most of the time), but I see exactly why many people are angry here and at other liberal sites. I do agree with you that the angry ones aren't necessarily farther left though.

I think for the most part the tension is over tactics rather than goals. Take a volatile topic like health care. Many, if not most, of the folk here see full single payer coverage as the goal. Many are bitterly disappointed that we didn't get it last year. Others are happy that after decades, we got anything at all. We also disagree very much on whether the current health care bills move us closer or farther from our shared goal.

That is far from the only topic. In brief, the tension is between those that think we should make bold, decisive change and those that think pushing the needle steadily toward the left can lead to change that sticks.

To really muddle the picture, many on here are fine with incremental steps for some issues, but demand the sweeping changes for others.

Of course, you also have the spectrum of goals to contend with--there are true centrists here, as well as ultra-liberals. It is always difficult to plot another person's place on the liberal scale--who's more liberal, the person advocating a radical swing from solid right-wing policies to left center or the person that believes in going much farther to the left, but thinks it might take decades?

[USArmyParatrooper]

28. I actually agree with everything you said

And it was well put. I just wish most of the discussions (and specifically the Obama detractors) framed the disagreements as rationally as you have. Instead we get a plethora of regurgitated GOP buzz phrases like Obama's so-called "Chicago style politics", referring to him as "Barry" and mocking his campaign theme, 'Change you can believe in'

I would love to have more discussions on the level you described instead of futilely responding to accusations that President Obama is an evil corporate whore.

[Catshrink]

10. Doh?

[JHB]

13. Mainly two things, I think...

BTW, belated welcome to DU.

I think it starts with the fact that there actually are some "sock puppets" floating in from time to time (not to mention a steady stream of trolls). It's inevitable on a basically-anonymous message board, especially one with heated, passionate discussions.

Second, once that thought is in the back of some peoples' heads, hearing a familiar refrain or line of argument from someone new rings an alarm bell, and some people have a little too much faith in their own hunches. And they'll be right just often enough to feel vindicated in doing so.

The same crap happens anywhere discussions get heated: sports forums, music forums, tv forums, etc. Nature of the beast. All you can do is notice who's doing it and tune them out, unless to crosses the line against forum rules.

What's the old Heinlein rule? "90% of it's crap, but then 90% of everything is crap." I think we actually do a lot better than that, but we still have our share of crap. So take the good stuff and let the crap flow by.

Cheers

:toast:

[USArmyParatrooper]

17. Thank you for such a thorough and civil answer :)

If you're ever in NC I'll buy you a beer.

[JHB]

23. Been here since nearly the beginning...

...seen some bad and some ugly but mostly good, even the parts that have me grinding my teeth or banging my head against something hard.

I'd probably have half-again as many posts as I do if I counted all the times I'd started a reply but canceled it because it just wasn't anything productive.

I don't expect to be in NC anytime soon, but if the occasion arises I may take you up on that beer. PM me if you're ever up in the NYC area.

:patriot:

[Fumesucker]

19. Sturgeon's Law..

90% of everything is crap..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeon's_Law

[JHB]

I stand corrected. Thanks. n/t

[JHB]

25. dupe

[MineralMan]

14. I believe it is against the rules to make that accusation of another

DUer. So, click the Alert button and forget it. Seriously.

[MineralMan]

15. Oh, and you can ask your question of the admins. Scroll down

and click the Contact Us button. There are email address there you can use.

[Scurrilous]

16. They're a violation of DU rules.

I suggest you don't bother replying and instead alert the mods and have them remove the post.

BTW..a belated welcome to DU. :thumbsup:

[Fumesucker]

20. "Sock Puppet" actually refers to one poster with two simultaneous accounts with two screen names..

This person will then use the two names to talk to themselves, usually to set up scenarios to make one side of a given argument look really bad/stupid.

Think Shari Lewis and Lambchop..

[USArmyParatrooper]

21. Ah, that makes sense! Someone else mentioned "marionettes"

I had to look it up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marionette

Seems to fit.

[Iggo]

29. Welcome to the internet.

And welcome to DU.:hi:

[sufrommich]

30. Some people are prone to be conspiracy minded. Take it

with a grain of salt.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. You're obviously a commie fascist macho femininst conservative liberal cheerleading Obama basher.