The silence is deafening

[Dstew]

It's nothing more than troll behaviour.

Certainly looks that way.....time to move on.

Me doth think you protest too much.

A troll is merely to create conflict, to create chaos.

I was attempting to start a legitimate debate about what moral standards are applied and to who in the context of a running community. I believe that there was a very good discussion happening with a good and healthy debate not veiled in polite political correctness. Clearly there are a number of intellectuals here and are willing to engage in such bloodless and at the end of the day, harmless combat but it is also clear that others have their delicate sensitivities or want this to be a safe place away from a cruel and indifferent universe. But fear not, I promise I will not question the tribe and the preconceived notions that are attached to the label, runner and the role and masks one wears under that label as it distresses me to see people slightly perturbed. Please go back to your scintillating debate about whether to do the planned 6 K run on a treadmill or after grocery shopping has begun for if that what the tribe wants, I can respect that.

I do pine for the good old days when the internet was the wild west and a thread such as this would not even come close to the level of trolldom and in fact would barely make it to mildly harsh. Clearly I am a relic and polite and benign political correctness has made me irrelevant. But to my defense, the renown mental toughness of runners might lead one to believe that they could take a little criticism of the way they handle a moral question but alas, it was not meant to be and as a mere spectator on the fringes of this village, who am I to severely judge.

[MichaelMc]

I believe a legitimate debate requires following logical lines of reasoning and I generally find those interesting.

Trolldom involves wild accusations, illogical thought and non-sequiturs: not worth any effort, and this qualifies.

Carry on.

[Double Bellybuster]

I was attempting to start a legitimate debate...

The "self-righteous" label placed on a prior poster is where you lost me and perhaps others.

[Dstew]

I believe a legitimate debate requires following logical lines of reasoning and I generally find those interesting.

Trolldom involves wild accusations, illogical thought and non-sequiturs: not worth any effort, and this qualifies.

Carry on.

So for example suggesting someone is making wild accusations, illogical thoughts and non-sequiturs without any evidence or examples. I get it. Carry on.

[Dstew]

I was attempting to start a legitimate debate...

The "self-righteous" label placed on a prior poster is where you lost me and perhaps others.

The dictionary definition:

convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others : narrow-mindedly moralistic.

In my opinion suggesting an amputee who makes it to the semi finals of the Olympics is not an athletic inspiration to anyone because of the moral view he was "cheating" through an equipment advantage in contrast with the findings of the International Court of Appeal, meets that definition. Also posting that they are defending the integrity of the sport when a main stream media type cheats but shrugging their shoulders at lessor knows cheat and and not giving any credit for raising $500,000,000 could argued to be "narrow mindedly moralistic".

The average person lies 3 - 4 times per day. This does not include the small fibs or lies to ourselves. So when I saw a number of examples of situation-ally applying ethics but not suggesting they themselves are immune to situational ethics, I felt compelled to say something. Especially in light of the notion that somehow runners become morally superior beings through the act of running. And in bringing this up, I am called a troll because I should have merely presented the fact that marathoners cheat. Could care less that marathoners cheat, I was much more interested in how there was no discussion about that and brought up a difficult and touchy topic. That people do not want to discuss such topics on a board like this, I get. There is no question one cannot use certain terms due to political correctness even if those terms apply. I am merely responding because I find it amusing that in attempting to point out what I see is an inconsistent application of moral and ethical standards, I was called a troll for no reason they I dared to question conventional wisdom and dogma of the running religion that many follow on this board. It was not I was incorrect or wrong but merely it was rude and impolite of me to make such comments and I see that is a fair comment but then throw in the term troll ironically makes those who used that term a troll.

Many people here have had great interactions with runners, my first encounter with an elite was I had just finished my second half and broke the 1:35 barrier. A guy who was pacing off me did the same thing. It was this 5th attempt to do so and was so happy he introduced me to his wife. We are resting and enjoying our triumph and he says, next goal is break 90 minutes. Uninvited, some scrawny little weasel of the runner comes up and tells us both that people such as ourselves could never break 90 minutes as that is reserved for real runners and so we should not even try. So I have to say this has been a great learning experience for me as I have always had a mixed relationship with the running community and questions are can someone be a runner and not be part of that community, not enter races and other such questions that I do now realize are not appropriate topics here.

[jonovision_man]

I was attempting to start a legitimate debate...

The "self-righteous" label placed on a prior poster is where you lost me and perhaps others.

The dictionary definition:

convinced of one's own righteousness especially in contrast with the actions and beliefs of others : narrow-mindedly moralistic.

Pot, meet kettle.

jono

[jonovision_man]

But fear not, I promise I will not question the tribe and the preconceived notions that are attached to the label, runner and the role and masks one wears under that label as it distresses me to see people slightly perturbed. Please go back to your scintillating debate about whether to do the planned 6 K run on a treadmill or after grocery shopping has begun for if that what the tribe wants, I can respect that.

I think what "the tribe wants" is to talk about running and exercise, possibly doping as it relates to the sport, but not long diatribes about what you've decided about any particular member's character.

jono

[ultraslacker]

Dstew, the problem is not the topic of conversation. The problem is the antagonistic and condescending way that you presented it, and have continued to argue in this thread. If you would like to discuss something rather than passing judgement and making sweeping generalizations on a community that has in the past been nothing but supportive of you, next time try phrasing it in a way that doesn't skew the discussion from the first post.

Locking this thread so that it doesn't continue to degrade...