People like you...

"People like you"

I have noticed this phrase bandied about on many threads that involve controversy quite a bit lately.

I'm curious, is this just a broad generalization to be used as some sort of insult?

Can you really tell what a person is like by just their attitude on the internet? I can't.

I realize that debates can become heated but using the phrase "people like you" seems to me as demeaning and really inappropriate no matter what the issue being discussed. Shouldn't it be "principals before personalities?"

To resort to personal attacks; makes me feel that the attacker might not be as sure of his position as he/she would like you to believe.

For someone who knows what to look for, over enough time, certain things can be deduced about a poster, if the poster is honest in his presentation of himself. Even if a person is not honest in his presentation, patterns will emerge, even if it is a lack of pattern.

However, it has been my experience that a single admission to a given political opinion will open the doors for a host of presumptions about one's political persuasion.

So, if I say that I am anti-abortion, the assumption by many will be that I am a hard-line Republican.

If I object to the disrespectful treatment of our president on this board, then I must agree with all of the president's policies and by extention I must hate Bill Clinton.

Some of these kinds of things do follow one from the other, but it is not always the case.

Some people do think for themselves and find themselves aligned with issues from both sides of the aisle, so to speak.

That is my observation.

I agree with Grady in his assertion...

With one thing to add...

Inability to debate an issue..

It is far easier to "assume" a person hates Clinton because they support Bush and in essence places the burden of proof on the actual non-involved person if you will by saying.. "People like you".

They feel they have gained some form of "Oneupmanship" over you by placing you in what they construe as a negative light...

I say call them on it and ask them "What kind of people is that?"

Semper

So .....


Is the phrase "people like you" an insult? A way to separate yourself from a perceived ideology?

I'm going with "insult" regardless of which ideology the user adopts.

Internet tribalism....ugly and pointless

I beleive that 'People like you' is much like 'they', as in, 'they' made me do it. Much likei hate 'people like you' just a saying that gets thrown around i guess.

Dorian Gray

reply to post by whaaa


Whaaa. it's people like you that come up with threads like this! But seriously, I don't have a serious answer to your thread!

The phrase "people like you" is used to contrast a person with "most of us". It is used both as an insult and, as someone mentioned, to promote "internet tribalism". You'll also hear the phrase "of your ilk" used in the same manner.