I’m just middle aged and lost all energy for unproductive discussions. The second another poster posts something genuinely hostile, like “touch grass” kinda shit, I’m just done talking. Also if we’re six comments in and the other guy won’t even admit to being wrong to the thing he said on comment one, despite me doing twenty minutes of research to prove conclusively that he’s wrong, I don’t want to waste another second of my life on him.

I gotta have 10% of the “disengage” comments on this site.

  • Philosoraptor [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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    17 hours ago

    You’re not getting paid for this. You’re not even a volunteer. You’re doing this (presumably) for recreational purposes–because it makes you feel good. You don’t owe anyone anything. Disengage when you’re not getting what you want out of it.

    • bumpusoot [any]@hexbear.net
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      15 hours ago

      Without naming names, I’ve got in arguments with some users who will just keep coming back and posting more replies after you stop responding. Sometimes for days, in one case, weeks.

      I also think there’s some value in actively signalling that the conversation was actually really sucky and you hated it. Helps steer people in nicer directions, I’d argue.

      • ButtBidet [he/him]@hexbear.netOP
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        6 hours ago

        I also think there’s some value in actively signalling that the conversation was actually really sucky and you hated it.

        NGL I’m guilty of this

  • Diuretic_Materialism [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    1 day ago

    Hot take, I think the “disengage” rule is good but I don’t like the way we do it.

    Saying “disengage” sounds like your commanding someone to disengage, which comes off as a final “fuck you!” It’s basically a mod enforced way to have the last word. If we instead said “I’m disengaging” or “i want to cease this convo”, idk something that had more to a tinge of humility to it I think it could come off better.

    • ButtBidet [he/him]@hexbear.netOP
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      1 day ago

      if we instead said “I’m disengaging” or “i want to cease this convo”, idk something that had more to a tinge of humility to it I think it could come off better.

      Ya I agree, this sounds way better.

    • frightful_hobgoblin
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      1 day ago

      I say “k” or stop replying.

      Saying “disengage” is a bit milquetoast I agree.

    • Blockocheese [any]@hexbear.net
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      1 day ago

      There’s also the issue where someone will write a multi paragraph response then add disengage at the end to ger the last word in

      There was a post a while ago where mods were saying not to do that but it isn’t enforced

      • MiraculousMM [he/him, any]@hexbear.net
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        1 day ago

        Its absolutely enforced when we see it happen. Report any instance of the disengage rule being used improperly like that. We don’t see everything and rely heavily on user reports to point out CoC violations

      • REgon [they/them]@hexbear.net
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        1 day ago

        There’s also the issue where someone will write a multi paragraph response then add disengage at the end to ger the last word in

        That hasn’t been an issue for over a year. Doing that will - or at least was - grounds for a banning. I know because I’m the one that asked for the rule to be clarified so it didn’t work like that.
        There was some drama with some user who kept doing it, which was the motivation for the rule change/clarification.

    • MemesAreTheory [he/him, any]@hexbear.net
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      23 hours ago

      You know I tried something like that recently, but the people who need a disengage aren’t the ones to take a hint. It’s a command because the people who’s hobby that day is to argue with you aren’t going to respect polite boundaries.

      • Diuretic_Materialism [he/him]@hexbear.net
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        23 hours ago

        Okay but I’ve seen as many examples of people using it as a “have the last word spell” than as a way to tell someone who’s legit been pestering you to fuck off.

        I’m pretty sure spamming someone with replies after they’ve asked you to stop is against the rules anyway so you could just report them.

    • CommunistCuddlefish [she/her]@hexbear.net
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      22 hours ago

      Can you explain the disengage rule? I think this is the first I’m hearing about it and that’s kind of weird/concerning because I feel like I should know the rules of this place.

    • bumpusoot [any]@hexbear.net
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      15 hours ago

      I wish blocking worked better, you can still see when blocked users have replied. And blocked users can still see and comment on your posts all the same, doesn’t feel nice.

      • AssortedBiscuits [they/them]@hexbear.net
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        12 hours ago

        And blocked users can still see and comment on your posts all the same, doesn’t feel nice.

        As long as you don’t actually see the comments, I would say this is a good thing because you can see the loser coping and seething at your comments while you’ve long since moved on with your life.

        • bumpusoot [any]@hexbear.net
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          8 hours ago

          You can’t see the comments directly, but you will see “x more replies” which means a blocked user replied. Which is very annoying.

  • 2812481591 [any, it/its]@hexbear.net
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    1 day ago

    Disengage is for if people are following you between threads and comments, not a “Get the last word in” spell.

    and yes, If someone makes one reply that’s a stupid misinterpretation of what I said, blocked forever.

  • ReadFanon [any, any]@hexbear.net
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    23 hours ago

    Life is short. I can’t imagine you being on your deathbed lamenting the fact that you routinely refused to go 12+ comments deep with someone who was being obstinate and arguing like its bloodsport.

    You have a right to reclaim your peace.

  • InevitableSwing [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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    22 hours ago

    Think of it like real life. You’re at party having a discussion with somebody that turns into an argument. If the person you’re talking to is an asshole - there’s no point in talking so why keep talking? Just walk away.

  • nothx [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    22 hours ago

    I don’t think there is ever a wrong time to disengage from a situation. You don’t owe anybody the time and mental energy it takes to continue the discussion at that point. Especially on the internet, where there shouldn’t be an expectation that the other party is ever coming back to the discussion, just close the tab and move on.

  • DamarcusArt@lemmygrad.ml
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    1 day ago

    Saying you want to disengage isn’t just for you, it’s also a signal to the other person that you have no interest in talking to them and they shouldn’t waste their time either, not just yours. If they respond to a “disengage” with some smug comeback, they’re just wasting their time.