you lose

I've been a member of various online communities for close to 10 years now. In fact, I believe the first community I ever joined was a Sifl and Olly fan group. (America was robbed when that show was cancelled.)

Invariably, in any community, there will be conflict, because everyone can't get along 100% of the time. Conflict can be handled gracefully, and without hurt feelings - there's nothing wrong with asserting one's opinion, if it's done tactfully and with respect. REAL respect, not the fake kind (I have a lot of respect for you, BUT...).

There's an internet rule that states that if a member of one side of a conflict compares the other side to Hitler, or Nazis, or the Gestapo, etc., that side automatically loses. It's called Godwin's Law. Now, this doesn't happen in every conflict I've seen; in fact, I've seen it in very few. Mostly in abortion debate.

I think a new rule should exist, if it doesn't already. If a member of one side of a conflict says any of the following things to the other, they lose.

• LOL
• Thanks for the laugh
• You're funny
• Next
• (insert any sarcastic ridicule or dismissive term here)

This kinda crap drives me nuts. I am in a community where there was recently a blowup, and one of the people started laughing at the person with whom she was arguing, and another person said that the person with whom he was arguing had a drinking problem. It's ridiculous, and it's basically saying "I have nothing else to constructively contribute to this discussion, so I'm going to start acting like a petulant jerk instead of extricating myself gracefully."

You can call it Stacey's Law. I'll allow it. NEXT.