What is your initial reaction to personal attacks on internet forums?

“It’s the internet, we don’t really know each other, who cares what other opinions are, so just back off.”

I don’t participate in forums that allow personal attacks. I like sites like Fluther that are moderated.

I laugh it off. It’s what it deserves.

@hawaii_jake But even on Fluther, we have personal attacks, and you can often see them before they get modded. Some even slip through the moderation cracks.

Rage, followed by apathy

“Well, I’m done.”

There’s no point in my continuing to acknowledge their voice if they are going to personally attack me on the Internet. Actually, I more or less walk away from these types of conversations in person, too. How do personal attacks ever enhance an argument?

@papayalily Yes, so when I see the attack, I flag it. I guess that’s my answer. My initial response is to flag that kind of shit.

Edit: My gut reaction is disbelief that someone who doesn’t know me would bother to be that rude.

“looks like someone is trying to tell me what they think of them selves deep down” or… “yes, i can see his/her point”

This, followed within a few minutes by this shortly tailed by this

@Batsh1t_Cat_Lady Nearly identical feelings here. And I love your user name.

I also think whoever attacks me can go fuck themselves.

Usually laughter.
Every now and then if it is something that comes out of left field it might be more shock than amusement.

I get really angry, and i think they’re pathetic for resorting to personal attacks during a discussion. They’re low-class debators.

FLAME WAR

Flame War from lightlyseared. Hehe, get it? Uh, nevermind.

WTFF?

What the fucking fuck?

I think I’ve only been flamed personally once ever on teh interwebz and it was here on Fluther. He’s long gone now; a run-of-the-mill troll and it just happened to be my turn. I gave him what for, though, before he was hounded out. At least I’d like to think so. He probably didn’t give a shit.

Who the hell does this random person think they are? They’re not my equal to ever be writing those words in my direction.

I will usually leave the site and pretty much stop participating. Arguing on the internet is like running a race in the special olympics, right?

I cry like a baby and throw things ;)

If they start to attack you personally, you can sit back with a satisfied sigh. You’ve won. They have nothing else to do but ad hominem attacks.

Usually I’ll point this out. I resist the urge to tell them how pathetic it is to try to argue by not talking about the subject and talking about the person, instead. No. I give in. It is pretty pathetic. I think you can say that without attacking someone personally.

But it’s funny when someone is so whipped they can’t even talk about the subject. Pointing it out is pretty effective.

You have to resist the urge to take their comments personally. I think we imagine them having their jollies and maybe even making us look bad in front of all the [imagined] others who might be watching. I think they get much more pissed on if you ignore their stupid comments and point out how what they are doing is the last resort of someone who’s got nothing to say.

I just tell them to fuck off.