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So, you really took my post and ran with it, and it's not the first time this has happened. I see you didn't copypaste that text and you actually typed it out,

So, you really took my post and ran with it, and it's not the first time this has happened. I see you didn't copypaste that text and you actually typed it out, so just to state it clearly, I did not say it must be some kind of astroturfing, and I did not say some astroturfing must be happening because no one could possibly post X in good faith. I stated I've noticed strongly pro-PRC posts which are also anonymous, and I find it interesting. You took my use of the word "brigaded" to assume that I implied an astroturfing context and that is not the case. I suppose in the same spirit of this thread, you're saying that brigading can only happen in an astroturfing context, which is as much a toxic idea as accusations of astroturfing in the first place. Also, I do not have faith in anyone's ability to detect any kind of astroturfing but the lowest-hanging fruit. It does happen as stated here, but having worked in some shitty companies in my time, it's basically impossible to detect (let alone prevent) if it's done with really any amount sophistication.

dang 8y ago
I take your point that you didn't explicitly say all those things—I meant more that they are the kinds of things that come up routinely in this category. But your comment did point in the direction that the guidelines ask you not to go, and your reply here confirms it. Dark insinuations about "pro-PRC" comments (or pro-whatever, or anti-whatever) are very much part of this genre. One of the most striking and dismaying phenomena we observe as moderators is that people are far, far, you'd-be-amazed-how-far too to quick to interpret differing opinions as evidence of bad faith on the internet. It poisons the well, and we're not allowing that here. Unless you're talking about something specific and have at least a bit of evidence to back it up, subthreads like this are unsubstantive and off topic.

dang 8y ago

I take your point that you didn't explicitly say all those things—I meant more that they are the kinds of things that come up routinely in this category. But your comment did point in the direction that the guidelines ask you not to go, and your reply here confirms it. Dark insinuations about "pro-PRC" comments (or pro-whatever, or anti-whatever) are very much part of this genre. One of the most striking and dismaying phenomena we observe as moderators is that people are far, far, you'd-be-amazed-how-far too to quick to interpret differing opinions as evidence of bad faith on the internet. It poisons the well, and we're not allowing that here. Unless you're talking about something specific and have at least a bit of evidence to back it up, subthreads like this are unsubstantive and off topic.