And so very clever. John Scalzi reveals the secret to his mastery of online debate:
John Scalzi @scalzi
I like to mute a troller, troll them back a few times, and let ’em know they’ve been muted the whole time so I didn’t see responses. PERFECTDave Pelna @DavePelna
How courageous of you.John Scalzi @scalzi
This would be a devastating comment if I cared what you think. But I don’t! So.
The thing is, it is a devastating comment because McRapey cares what everybody thinks. That’s why he has to hide from all the critical responses. If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t block them, mute them, or respond snarkily to them in the first place.
Remember, the Gamma male always has to win in his own mind. He can’t bear to admit failure or defeat to himself. This is why he never learns to stop making the same mistakes over and over again. And no matter what the outcome is, he will always find a way to somehow declare it to be a victory of some kind and thereby justify his course of action.
That’s why it is so important to be able to acknowledge that you got your ass kicked, or that you were wrong, or that you were bested by someone better. If you don’t, you will never learn to improve your game. And more importantly, you will never learn the self-respect that comes from the certain knowledge that you are one of those men who is always able to pick himself up, dust himself off, and return to the fray without fear.
UPDATE: Futhere evidence of McRapey’s fearless indifference to others:
John Scalzi @scalzi
Honestly if all comment sections on the Internet disappeared tomorrow our world would be a vastly better place.
Isn’t it awful that people are allowed to talk back at him? And in public, no less!