What is a "disruptor?"

[GreenArrow]

Honestly, he's a disruptor, she's a disruptor, everyone's a freaking disruptor lately. What exactly constitutes being a disruptor? I'd like to know, because it seems to be a totally arbitrary label in most cases, or a defense mechanism when someone's candidate or position has been challenged or disparaged.

And I'm not talking about the obvious type of disruptor who oozes over from FP and tosses out stereotypical rightwing talking points.

[kixot]

1. As far as I know...

It's someone who comes in expousing extreme contrairian views without alowing for proper discourse. Rude and dismissive, if you will.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mitchtv]

2. for me it's those who advocate 'yes' on recall

don't matter much. we are in a crisis situation,then we get all sorts of reasons why our governor is not perfect, or why we should vote for some off the wall replacement like arianna or georgie, who doesn't stand a snowball's chance, instead of sticking with the team we have Gray and Cruz.yeah yeah yeah yada yada yada. trying to make us lose , they are.

[roughsatori]

3. I knew you were a disruptor and now you've proven it!!!!

:)

[ender]

5. are you now, or have you ever been a disruptor?

I hold in my hand a stack of tombstones that have 100,000 disruptors and flamemonkeys names on it.

[roughsatori]

7. I don't like disruptors but I love flame warriors

There is a fine line at times. I like that: Flame-Monkeys, sounds like a punk rock band.

[Terwilliger]

22. Thieir new single...

Two O'clock carpal

Friggin what they sayin now?
Rock the party anyhow
got no Will to turn a phrase
There rappin in all sorts of other ways

You bluebloods, yella-dawgs, senators and aides
Black community, gay community, you know you're bein' made
white Turks, store clerks, drink the lemonade
Only when you free your mind the light Jah has layed

Farming out the right-wing creedo
AHH-nold wins the election in a speedo
Bustamante slips on the money covers
feels like he and Arnie are the best of lovers

Friends don't friends vote Republican
yet tools were made to be outspoken
Let's not act like those fuckhead twits
Maybe then the system will be fixed

whaddya think? A future in prima-donna-hood?

[roughsatori]

29. Terwilliger don't be coy, you are already ensconced in primadonnahood

That is your charm. :)

[Terwilliger]

33. satori

I love that word

[blondeatlast]

31. PM unidentified bass player with this--

maybe you could start a band.

[NashVegas]

4. For My Dime

A disruptor is someone who's purpose is to halt meaningful conversation from progressing.

[GreenArrow]

6. okay, that's a start

but then you have to come to agreement as to what constitutes a meaningful conversation. I don't know the answer. Sometimes it seems like posters who write up an unpopular post or take an unpolular position are immediately and repeatedly assailed even when they have asked legitimate questions. Then who's the disruptor?

[Julien Sorel]

8. The Klingon version of phasers?

[Terwilliger]

9. People want practical discussion on how to fix the country's problems

they actually think that will work today

[onehandle]

10. A disruptor is only a disruptor if they're caught...

The smart ones disrupt and never get caught.

Then they run back to their hidden freeper forums, far right and left clubhouses, and GOP think tank shadows to laugh their asses off.

[Terwilliger]

13. apparently you can't handle that

I'm sorry

[John_H]

16. And then again, some people are just too damn funny to be called

disruptors

[Terwilliger]

25. QUICK!

Make a post while we're chatting...I may not see it!

Does anybody respond to your posts?

[onehandle]

19. I handle it fine...

However, I'd like to see Skinner's temporary rules from a few weeks ago made permanent. I'd also like to see the rules for the various forums tightened. It's been so long that I'm not sure it's like this anymore, but I wouldn't accept a new membership with a free email account address (yahoo, hotmail etc...).

There are the enthusiastic and there are disruptors. Both should be dealt with differently.

[Terwilliger]

26. Well, I understand

but I dont like the whole "oh we cant attack other Democrats" when its been made clear that this site is a free-for-all for discussion of the Democratic candidates and their chances. If you think repukes disrupt, reacting to them is like the hate-worship Annthrax has here at DU.

Hell, if you think someone is a disruptor...message me! I'll take his ass on.

[onehandle]

30. ha ha...

They light the fires and they run.

[blondeatlast]

32. Well said. I like to play with 'em.

[unfrigginreal]

11. You can't be considered a disruptor...unless you've been ignored.

I found out tonight that Terwilliger and myself are both considered disruptors by one poster( very interesting since Terwilliger and myself usually are on the opposite side of things ).

I dare the rest of you to prove that you've been ignored.

[Terwilliger]

15. MUHAHAHAH

It's a confrontational conspiracy! You asshole! ;-)

[unfrigginreal]

20. Ahhh...Wrong again my friend!

How can you call yourself a good leftwing liberal, if you can't see that it's our fault that this poster doesn't understand.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! :hippie:

[Terwilliger]

24. OH YEAH!

I'm a dolt. I should just get out of politics.

NO COMPRENDO NADA DE LOS POLITICOS...SON LOCOS!

OnEdit: loco? loca? locas? all the edumacation down the tubes

[unfrigginreal]

28. I've got a better idea...let's let all of THEM get out of politics...

and we'll keep on fighting for what we believe in.

Fuck 'em!

[Clete]

12. Well, sometimes disruptors can fly under the radar.

They don't reveal themselves immediately. But when you start seeing thread after thread being locked on account of one poster, usually one with a low post count, then that is a disruptor. Others are so patently obvious you can see it in their posts right away. These guys don't last very long.

[VermontDem2004]

14. Your a disrupter

;-)

[antiflagdemocrat]

17. come to my sight for answers

http://antiflagdmcrt.tripod.com/

[w4rma]

21. according to DU's rules …

…
We ban conservative disruptors who are opposed to the broad goals of this website. If you think overall that George W. Bush is doing a swell job, or if you wish to see Republicans win, or if you are generally supportive of conservative ideals, please do not register to post, as you will likely be banned.
…
Do not publicly accuse another member of this message board of being a disruptor, troll, conservative, Republican, or FReeper. Do not try to come up with cute ways of skirting around the spirit of this rule. If you think someone is a disruptor, click the "Alert" link below their post so the moderators can deal with it. Unfortunately, it has become all too common for members of this message board to label anyone with a slightly different point of view as a disruptor. We disapprove of this behavior because its intent is to stifle discussion, enforce a particular "party line," and pre-emptively label a particular point of view as inappropriate or unwelcome. This makes thoughtful and open debate virtually impossible.
…
There are no exceptions to these civility rules. You cannot attack someone because they attacked you first, or because that person "deserved it," or because you think someone is a disruptor. We consider it a personal attack to call a liar a liar, to call a moron a moron, or to call a jerk a jerk.
…
http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules.html#disruption

[GreenArrow]

34. Thanks for posting that

The first paragraph delineates disruptors that are usually easy to spot. After a few posts, they are gone.

The second paragraph describes what has been going on here a lot lately. One telling section:

"Unfortunately, it has become all too common for members of this message board to label anyone with a slightly different point of view as a disruptor. We disapprove of this behavior because its intent is to stifle discussion, enforce a particular "party line," and pre-emptively label a particular point of view as inappropriate or unwelcome. This makes thoughtful and open debate virtually impossible."

It seems to me that the people who are most loudly shouting "disruptor" are the often the ones who are attempting to "stifle disscussion," promote a "party line" and otherwise render a particular subject or viewpoint off limits to consideration, and it does make thoughtful and open debate difficult if not impossible.

[Solly Mack]

23. ::::::looks into mirror...studies profile...points finger:::::::::

that person over --------> there is a disruptor.

:shrug:

[neuvocat]

27. Anyone who's got a chip on his shoulder

and wants to start a fight. Of course it won't be something totally obvious, so there has to be some high-minded rhetoric to hide it. Usually it comes in the form of something like "WE need to do..."

That "WE" really means "YOU" and whenever you see something like that posted, a lot of people are getting a finger pointed at them over little things or something that is imagined. These tend to crop up on this board around weekends.

[olmy]

35. Anyone who disparages Johnny Depp is a one.

Seems that's a perplexing hotbutton. I was accused of being "Rovian". I only have measly amount of messages, compared to the regulars here, but that does not stop anyone from making sure that the small amount I do post is deleted, jumped on, or called unreadable, and I should stop posting.

Like it or not, it is a little clubby here, and you should cut some people some slack when they start.

[GreenArrow]

36. I agree with your point

The belittlement of new poster is one of my pet peeves...even if they do disparage Johnny Depp.

The amount of posts a person has has virtually nothing to do with the validity of what they have to say. Some of the worst disruptors on here, IMO, have well over a 1,000 posts.

[Fescue4u]

37. To adopt an old poker rule...

Look at the thread that you've just posted to.

If you cant figure out who the disrupter is...then YOU are the disrupter