Replies

"How about you simply following the rules?"

"If I were not, I'd be Zotted."

What a joke that is. "personal attacks, profanity, vulgarity" If just those three were taken away from your posting history it would shrink by at least half.

“Everyone I knew basically left because of so much childish, immature personal attacks. The propensity there to eat their own. And a lot of the people — most of the people — I knew that were on it left.” – Sean Hannity

Other are not that hard to find.

Social Psychologist Irving Janis described eight symptoms indicative of groupthink:

1. Illusions of invulnerability creating excessive optimism and encouraging risk taking. Check.

2. Rationalizing warnings that might challenge the group’s assumptions. Check.

3. Unquestioned belief in the morality of the group, causing members to ignore the consequences of their actions. Check.

4. Stereotyping those who are opposed to the group as weak, evil, biased, spiteful, disfigured, impotent, or stupid. Check.

5. Direct pressure to conform placed on any member who questions the group, couched in terms of “disloyalty”. Check.

6. Self-censorship of ideas that deviate from the apparent group consensus. Check.

7. Illusions of unanimity among group members, silence is viewed as agreement. Check.

8. Mind guards — self-appointed members who shield the group from dissenting information. Check.

You’re overthinking the whole thing.

It isn’t that complicated.

I don’t like people abusing Free Republic.
Sometimes I take action against those who do.

Once in a while they flip out and get Zotted.

It’s really no more complicated than that.

My experience is that most blog pimps that infest FR are not only annoying, but pretty darn stupid as well; at least with regards to promoting their blogs.

In most cases they just provide a link to content on their page.

Why would I click on such a link? The one time that my computer got hit really hard by a virus was when I clicked on a blog pimp's link. I don't do that anymore.

If these blog pimps had IQ's above the freezing point of water they would provide some idea of what their blog was about along with the link. If someone told me that their particular blog focused on pro-life issues or political philosophy I might want to check it out. As it is I'm supposed to assume that just because they have the intellectual capability to create an account on FR that I'm necessarily interested in what they have to say.

In my humble opinion humblegunner is providing a much needed service in culling the weak from the herd of idiots that flock to FR. They're like moths who see the flame of reason and head for it, more out of instinct than thoughtful reflection, only to be burned by it when they get here.