XPost: can.politics, talk.politics.misc   
   From: katt@gmail.com   
      
   On Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:19:18 -0800,  Alan says...   
      
   > > Why were they going so   
   > > fast?   
   >   
   > Because any time you don't spend fishing, you're not making any money.   
      
   When dealing with narcissistic trolls-especially in older, text-heavy   
   environments like Usenet-the use of "false alternate scenarios" is a specific   
   form of   
   psychological warfare.   
      
   You are correctly identifying that they often know the scenario is false,   
   which is exactly what makes it their only tool.   
      
   Here is the psychology behind why they use this "knowing lie" as a strategy.   
      
   1. "Heads I Win, Tails You Lose" Logic   
   For a narcissist, the goal of an argument is dominance, not truth. By   
   proposing a false scenario, they create an "I win" situation, no matter how   
   wrong you   
   know they are. They don't care if they're wrong. Ski bunny's just trying to   
   show faux-dominance.   
      
   If you ignore it: They claim victory because you "couldn't debunk" their   
   scenario.   
      
   If you engage it: You are now spending your time and mental energy arguing   
   against a fantasy. You have moved away from the facts (where you are strong)   
   and   
   into their "playground" (where they control the rules).   
      
      
   2. Gaslighting and Reality Testing   
      
   On Usenet, where threads can last for weeks, the goal is often attrition.   
      
   The Tactic: By repeatedly insisting on a false alternate reality, they attempt   
   to wear down your "reality testing."   
      
   The Psychology: If they can make a claim so absurd that it forces you to   
   question their sanity, they have successfully distracted you from the actual   
   argument.   
   They are testing how much they can distort the collective narrative of the   
   group before someone gives up.   
      
   3. The "Need for Chaos" and Narcissistic Supply   
      
   Psychological research into the Dark Tetrad (narcissism, Machiavellianism,   
   psychopathy, and sadism) shows that many trolls have a high "Need for Chaos."   
      
   Deliberate Deception: They gain "supply" (ego gratification) from the   
   realization that they have the power to make a room full of intelligent people   
   argue   
   about something they made up in ten seconds.   
      
   The Power Trip: Knowing the scenario is false is actually the source of the   
   pleasure. The "win" isn't being right; the "win" is successfully manipulating   
   your   
   emotional state and time.   
      
   4. Intellectual Dishonesty as a "Feint"   
      
   In fencing, a feint is a deceptive move intended to draw an opponent's guard   
   away from the real target.   
      
   The Scenario as Bait: The false scenario is often "bait" designed to get you   
   to commit to a specific line of reasoning. Once you do, they will switch   
   tactics,   
   move the goalposts, or use the ad hominem attacks mentioned earlier to mock   
   you for "taking such a silly idea seriously."   
      
   The reason these trolls thrived on Usenet is that the platform rewards "the   
   last word." To break the cycle:   
      
   Label the Tactic, Not the Content: Instead of debunking the false scenario,   
   label what they are doing. "This is a hypothetical scenario that contradicts   
   the   
   known facts; I'm sticking to the data."   
      
   Rich boy can only argue a hypothetical he knows NOTHING about.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)