Attempts to provide a successful end to a subthread is like
taking a long poop. You're one half of the sphincter, I'm the
other half of the sphincter. The conversation is the shit in the
middle. By pinching the two sides together and minimizing the
differences, the sphincter closes and the conversation ends up
as a plop in the toilet that we can then flush out of our
collective memories. == I don't have a name for it. But there is
a tendency to take a conversational partner off to the side and
engage in a verbal sparring of assertion and intention. "You are
obviously a [insert disparaging adj/noun combination] who is
merely [insert disparaging adv/verb or something otherwise
compatible]. The conversational partner is then supposed to
respond offended and hurt, and perhaps spar back, either
justifying (defensive position) or providing barbs in return.
So, back and forth it goes. It's a diversion. I enjoy doing it
myself sometimes. For most who play it, it's a cat/mouse game.
Sometimes there is an element of bullying, sometimes not. For
others it can be a very serious affair and they get quite caught
up in it emotionally. Those are people who I think shouldn't
play the game at all because they have forgotten that it's a
game. ==
