Twitter Discussion Error Codes

Thanks for all the energetic discussions we’ve had this year on Twitter. For 2017, however, I would like to try something a little different. Where it is plain that discussion will be futile, rather than muting you and making a coffee, I will issue an error code which will save your time and mine and free us both up finish that novel, feed the children, contemplate the emptiness of our existence, etc.

Err 1.0

I’ve dealt with your argument many times already — have a look at my timeline.

Err 2.0

Your starting premise is so absurd that I’ve already despaired of reasoning with you.

Err 3.0

You have jumped into my TL and:

Err 3.1

Your tweets are non-sequiturs punctuated by assertions that you’ve “won”.

Err 3.2

You’re a sealion (http://wondermark.com/1k62/)

Err 3.3

You ask tendentious questions, ignore my answers and claim I haven’t answered them.

Err 3.4

You opened with an insult.

Err 3.5

You think any argument can be defeated by saying “straw man”. You think the straw man is the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz.

Err 3.6

You try to deflect legitimate criticism by claiming something or someone else is worse than the wrong you are defending.

Err 3.7

When your point is falsified you claim your words did not mean what they plainly did mean. “Where did I say that?” you demand. I end up having to cut and paste your own tweets to remind you what you said mere seconds earlier.

Err 3.8

When your point is falsified you just move to an unrelated point and claim that the new point is the “real issue” ... endlessly

Err 3.9

You demand statistical evidence for anything I say but “everybody knows” is proof of your own points.

Err 3.10

You make bizarre assertions and when asked for clarification or evidence respond with “do your own research”.

Err 4.0

I checked your timeline and it is a burning river of racism and intolerance.