Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Alexis = NON-Stick in the Mud?!

If it can be believed, Alexis has posted one of his rare examples of a (mostly) non-abusive (though he does use the term "idiot") and thoughtful post! I just know he's not really the arrogant, sadistic, grumpy guss he makes himself out to be!

My issue with Alexis is that he has some great insights, and his style of writing is interesting, but his delivery is so (artificially?) volatile that (I feel) he's doing himself a disservice. More people would benefit from his insight if he just laid off the schtick a bit. If you read some of the posts I've written about his blog, you'll see people who comment that they used to read his stuff until the ire got to be too much. It's a shame, because I believe he has so much to offer.

I think he's like the Christian Bale character in the film The Prestige. The character had to live a secret double life in order to maintain the illusion that he was a great magician. He could never let go and just be his true self, lest his true persona/life be revealed (thus spoiling the secret of his greatest illusion).

Alexis, I'm sorry I ever doubted you. This Non-Stick in the Mud Award is for you!

P.S. Alexis actually allowed a comment from me to appear on the post! Progress. But when I tried to reply to his true-to-form riposte, it has sadly not appeared (at this time). I guess he's trying to use selective comment approval to skew the discussion in his favor. Here's what I said back to him:

"I salute you, sir, for maintaining character, as always. I don't think I'm any more abusive or insulting than any of your writings here, if you ask me. But come now, didn't your post state that you think the internet is a "wonderful" place, warts and all? And listen, disagreement doesn't need to equal disrespect. I may be harsh sometimes, but that's because I am human, and therefore faulty. But perhaps I am only returning the ire that you project outward? Food for thought. And don't kid yourself by thinking that I sit around waiting for your posts. I just happen to keep an eye on the blogs I follow, that's all. No need to look for a stalker, now."

P.P.S. And I wasn't being "patronizing" (as Alexis thinks) when I wrote this comment on his post (which he approved):

"This was really a great post, and I'm not being sarcastic. Thanks for this. And no, I don't expect to change you when I post about you. I just feel the need to, as you say, call out the stupid things people say. But in your case, it's not usually stupid. Rather, it seems to be strangely angry and sadistic, and I post because I want to ask you "why?" Why present yourself this way? I try to keep reminding myself that you probably mean well, you want to give the hobby some tough love, and that this is part of a persona you wish to project (i.e. the curmudgeonly wise man?). But I still am so curious and confused as to why you choose to be so damned irascible! Thanks again, this was really good stuff, and a breath of fresh air from the Tao."

Bottom line: I do love the repartee that I share with the gentleman! May the verbal fencing never cease!

11 comments:

  1. You do not understand, Drance.

    I have no respect for you. None whatsoever. After the things that have been said here, and things you have said to me in comments that I did not approve, I have no reason to respect you.

    I do not treat you with respect because you have long since crossed the line with me. You are the neighbor who I cannot get rid of ... and if I can fuck with you a little here and there, posting some comments in order to make a point about your obsequiousness, and deleting other comments because my point is already made, I will.

    I hope that's clear.

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  2. Alexis commented:

    You do not understand, Drance.

    I have no respect for you. None whatsoever. After the things that have been said here, and things you have said to me in comments that I did not approve, I have no reason to respect you.

    I do not treat you with respect because you have long since crossed the line with me. You are the neighbor who I cannot get rid of ... and if I can fuck with you a little here and there, posting some comments in order to make a point about your obsequiousness, and deleting other comments because my point is already made, I will.

    I hope that's clear.

    My reply:

    Hmm, not sure why the above comment only appeared in my email. Oh well.

    Hi Alexis, thanks for stopping by! I never asked for respect, my friend. But know that I in fact do respect YOU, for your dedication to the hobby. I know you're a good guy, you just see fit to portray yourself otherwise. So I guess I'll just have to dwell in the mystery...the mystery of your choice to play the role of ultra-grognard. As always, happy gaming!

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  3. Alexis has severe problems of some nature that are as yet undetermined. If someone's idea of a fun game is sitting in a hut in jungle somewhere having jumper cables attached to your nipples and bamboo shoots shoved under your fingernails then Alexis is your man.

    I have left him to his suffering maze. I no longer acknowledge his existence in the community. For whatever that is worth you can take it at face value. As a wise man once said:

    "Do not proffer sympathy to the mentally ill; it is a bottomless pit. Tell them firmly, 'I am not paid to listen to this drivel -- you are a terminal fool!' Otherwise, they make you as crazy as they are."

    -William S. Burroughs

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  4. ADD Grognard: thanks for the words of wisdom. I suppose I am a masochist to his sadist, because I can't stop wondering about what makes him tick. I suppose I also like to consider myself a foil for him. To me, sitting by and letting him spout his rhetoric unchallenged seems just...wrong. Not sure if that makes sense, or what it says about my own sanity...but there you go.

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  5. I took him off my reading list a long time ago. There were occasionally a few berries in his thornbush, but seeing as how I do gaming for fun, I don't spend my time in the briars. :)

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  6. Alexis runs one of the best games I've ever played. DRANCE, let it go man.

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  7. Wow, I just found Alexis' missing comment in that new-fangled comment junk box. Interesting.

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  8. Drance, I'm going to leave this message here, because I know you'll see it.

    I want you to understand something.

    I don't care how reasonable your comments are. I don't care if they're on topic or not. You are not welcome to any discussion on my blog. You're comments are not welcome.

    I don't like you.

    I don't want to have anything to do with you.

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  9. Grats Drance, you're doing something right!

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  10. Alexis: come on, tell me how you really feel! Don't hold back, now.

    How long is that list of people you don't like? Must read like the Dead Sea Scrolls.

    I want YOU to understand something.

    I don't care how much you don't like me.

    As horrible as this may sound to you, there's a whole big world outside your door, full of people that actually disagree with you. And that’s ok. You'll just have to keep dealing with that. I'm not sure why you have a blog, if you don't like people with different opinions.

    I know that once I got angry with you and said some mean things, but I have since apologized. If you choose not to forgive me, that’s your choice. But I ask you: have you never argued with someone, even vehemently and hurtfully, and then forgiven them? But I’m not going to beg for your forgiveness.

    Your deleting of my comments doesn’t deter me. I will continue to try and post comments. Today I tried to post a comment that, I feel, was in agreement with you. Life is funny like that. Tomorrow, I just might disagree with you. Variety is indeed the spice of life.

    As long as there are bloggers that outright abuse their readers, there will be those who choose to disagree with them (and, much to my continued consternation, there are those who choose to take the whipping said bloggers dish out).

    Bottom line: I'm not going away. And neither are all the others like me.

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  11. migellito: thanks! It's sort of a dubious honor, though, eh?

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