You may have PTDD if:
- Nobody really disagrees with you.
- People who claim they disagree with you are being dishonest.
- People who claim they disagree with you are out to get you.
- You argue that someone (else) getting mobbed online “deserved it.”
- You find yourself not understanding a lot of things but don’t ask any questions.
- You consider accounting for differing situations to be hypocrisy.
- You don’t know what your goal is in an argument, but that doesn’t stop you.
- You view all discussions that consist of more than, “Yeah, me too,” as arguments.
- All disagreements have a right and a wrong.
- All disagreements must have a winner and loser.
- Wrong = evil, unforgivable, delusional.
- You alone understand what everyone “intends” by what they say. Better than the speaker.
- You consider sympathy for both sides in a disagreement to be the same thing as no sympathy for either.
- You crave real-world consequences for things said online, but not for you.
These are but a small sampling of the symptoms of PTDD. If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, it is highly recommended that you log off the internet immediately. Further treatment may consist of quarantine to avoid denialists of all stripes, lots of face-to-face and eye-to-eye conversation, and outdoor exercise.
15 comments
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Anonymous
March 1, 2010 at 3:40 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
На этом прикольном сайте вы и ваши друзья сможете узнать, что такое плагин Sape, настройка Wordpess%сайт сателлит. Кроме этого вы найдете для себя еще кое-какие интересные достижения успеха. Окунитесь в экзотический мир, где электронные деньги становятся реальностью! You are welcome! Be happy!
NewEnglandBob
March 1, 2010 at 4:02 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
You need to add one:If a comment is in a foreign language (like Russian) You are paranoid that they did it to confuse you instead of assuming it is an advert.
Heather R.
March 1, 2010 at 6:22 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
But it ends with "You are welcome! Be happy!" Clearly that is argumentative.
Stephanie Zvan
March 1, 2010 at 7:24 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Bob, it seems to think there's money for me in some WordPress plugin.Or am I lying to you for some reason?
RPS77
March 1, 2010 at 8:28 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
This stuff doesn't just apply to arguments online. Some people are quite capable of exhibiting most of these symptoms in face-to-face debates – I used to be one of them myself.The internet is just a great enabler because it allows people to do these things without risking the loss of real-life friends.
Stephanie Zvan
March 1, 2010 at 9:12 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
True enough, RPS77. I do think, though, that spending too much time arguing with the truly dishonest/delusional can also bring this out in people who might not have it triggered otherwise. At least, I prefer to think that's the explanation for all the mind-reading rationalists I've run into lately.
Becca
March 1, 2010 at 11:37 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Good post. But Point of Information…
Greg
March 1, 2010 at 12:06 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
"If you hvae erected a straw man argument that lasts for more than six hours, see your doctor."
Stephanie Zvan
March 1, 2010 at 12:07 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I'm afraid I don't get it, Becca. I'm not exempting anybody from this, if that's what you're getting at. If not, let me know.
Becca
March 1, 2010 at 1:27 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Just wearing my addiction on my sleeve, that's all ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_information )
DuWayne Brayton
March 1, 2010 at 4:08 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
What the hell did I do to deserve a post like this…I know you wrote this about me…Damn you, I thought we were friends – seriously, this was just cruel and wrong.I am going away now, and NEVER COMING BACK!!!! Never, ever again – I am totally gone forever now…So there…Talk about me all you want…Because I won't ever see it.HATER!!
DuWayne Brayton
March 1, 2010 at 4:10 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Or maybe I will see it…But I won't bloody well say anything about it, because I am done worrying about all the mean things you say about me, thinking I don't know you mean ME!!!So I am never, ever going to comment hear again – this time I mean it.
Greg
March 1, 2010 at 6:53 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I can't believe what a train wreck this post has become.
Stephanie Zvan
March 1, 2010 at 7:47 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Becca, got it.DuWayne, I'll say this only because Juniper is one of the people I trust to never take things wrong: I love you.Greg, :p
DuWayne Brayton
March 1, 2010 at 9:02 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I would probably love you to, if you weren't a hater and I was ever going to comment here again – which I am not…(I am also pretty sure that the comment in Cyrillic is totally about me – and all you all get it)