swordgeek's Journal: Friends, Fans, Foes, and Freaks

I don't use or pay much attention to the FFFF part of /. For that matter, I don't use the journal much (at all?) as you can see. This is my first entry, since I consider /. a place for discussion and debate, not blogging/exhibitionism.

But for some random reason, I went to look at the people who consider me a freak. (or who consider me a foe, which means I should consider them a freak? Whatever.) The "Fan" listing is a nice ego boost, but it's more interesting to see the people who consider you a screaming moron, or at least a nutbar.

The curious thing is that I agreed quite passionately with several of them, in both a general and a specific sense. Similar philosophies, similar attitudes, similar posts even.

Then I went looking at THEIR freaks. What did I find? More of the same--not exclusively, but it's remarkable how close they (we) all think.

So why the foe/freak rating? I know the reasons behind me getting on one list--a guy disagreed with me on a point, and was REALLY pissed off that I got modded up to 5, while he was modded down to 0. (For the record, I agree--I disagreed with his point, but it was certainly a well thought out and interesting one--we both should have been +3 or +4.)

Are the rest something like that? Or did I clash with someone on a single post that was pro/anti-American, pro/anti-Linux, pro/anti-OSS, or is it something...deeper?