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HN discussion is a public forum, and you don't get to dictate who replies to you. If you don't want to talk to me, that's up to you. You can simply stop talking

by philh 11y ago

HN discussion is a public forum, and you don't get to dictate who replies to you. If you don't want to talk to me, that's up to you. You can simply stop talking to me. I'll get bored and wander off and you won't see me replying to you. If you don't understand what I'm saying, you can also choose to ask clarification. But I'm not asking any positive action of you. What I do ask is that if you choose to reply to me, you reply to the things that I actually say. Instead, you repeatedly chose to say things which sounded like replies, but weren't. You tried to hide your lack-of-response - first, by talking about something unrelated to what I said, and second, by being all "I don't need to talk about what you want to talk about". Of course you don't! But if you're not going to talk about it, you don't get to pretend you replied to me.

wpietri 11y ago
I replied to the portion of your comment I thought relevant. Stomp your feet all you want, but I don't owe you anything further, and acting entitled to interaction on your terms doesn't incline me to take you seriously.
- philh 11y ago
  Of course you owe me nothing, and of course I'm not entitled to interaction from you, on any terms. I've said twice, and now I say a third time, that you can stop interacting with me any time you like. But while you choose to interact with me, I am free to point out when you're violating conventions of discourse. I am not entitled to your words, and you are not entitled to my silence.
  - wpietri 11y ago
    In civilized society, yes, people are entitled to be left alone when they ask to be left alone. I am not entitled to your general silence, but you are not entitled to keep bugging me. Please go away.
    - philh 11y ago
      I consider that I'm entitled to keep talking to you, as long as you keep talking to me. It chafes to be told otherwise. On top of that, you're asking me to do something that you could have accomplished yourself, by simply not asking me to do it. That feels like some kind of bizarre power grab. These things make me want to push back and do the opposite of what you want, just to annoy you. However, very well: I will not reply to you again in this thread, even if you choose to reply to me. I don't intend to deliberately avoid replying to you in future.
      - wpietri 11y ago
        The difference being, of course, that you approached me. I believe I have the right to be let alone when asked. You believe that you have the right to approach anybody, petulantly insist that they talk about what you want, and then hang around bothering them after being asked to go away. Assertion of boundaries only seems like a bizarre power grab to the irrationally entitled.

by philh 11y ago

wpietri 11y ago

I replied to the portion of your comment I thought relevant. Stomp your feet all you want, but I don't owe you anything further, and acting entitled to interaction on your terms doesn't incline me to take you seriously.

philh 11y ago
Of course you owe me nothing, and of course I'm not entitled to interaction from you, on any terms. I've said twice, and now I say a third time, that you can stop interacting with me any time you like. But while you choose to interact with me, I am free to point out when you're violating conventions of discourse. I am not entitled to your words, and you are not entitled to my silence.
- wpietri 11y ago
  In civilized society, yes, people are entitled to be left alone when they ask to be left alone. I am not entitled to your general silence, but you are not entitled to keep bugging me. Please go away.
  - philh 11y ago
    I consider that I'm entitled to keep talking to you, as long as you keep talking to me. It chafes to be told otherwise. On top of that, you're asking me to do something that you could have accomplished yourself, by simply not asking me to do it. That feels like some kind of bizarre power grab. These things make me want to push back and do the opposite of what you want, just to annoy you. However, very well: I will not reply to you again in this thread, even if you choose to reply to me. I don't intend to deliberately avoid replying to you in future.
    - wpietri 11y ago
      The difference being, of course, that you approached me. I believe I have the right to be let alone when asked. You believe that you have the right to approach anybody, petulantly insist that they talk about what you want, and then hang around bothering them after being asked to go away. Assertion of boundaries only seems like a bizarre power grab to the irrationally entitled.