A Public Apology to @iloveupvotes / @livehonest / @livemoral / @topikzmonster (Revoked Due to Asshattery)
While some may view me as a bandit and others as a hero, over the past few days I've been slowly going over the events that took place regarding the username tag spamming last week and the more I think about it the more it's realized that perhaps I didn't do due diligence before launching my asshunter.js counter defenses on the user behind it.
Now, please correct me if I am wrong @skeptic (Owner of all accounts mentioned in title I believe) but what triggered your name tag spamming bit was the fact you felt you had been bullied into silence with people flagging your stuff. Of course me being the night in shining tinfoil I am didn't fully investigate the situation properly and prematurely launched a counter defense against you.
I was wrong to do so.. Not often do I like to admit my mistake but the more I think about what went on the worse I feel. Meaning that somewhere along the way I drifted askew my normal moral compass and ended up deploying scripts against someone who needed help rather than hindrance.
Please accept my sincere apology @iloveupvotes / @skeptic / @livehonest / @livemoral / @topikzmonster. After taking a step back and going through the whole situation I realize I was in the wrong to asshunter you and what you really needed what a set of ears to listen and take a closer look at your situation rather than blow you off for spamming.
Sorry dude, I acted out what I thought at the time was best for the network. I did not mean to attack your freedom of speech nor mean to make you feel unwanted. I wrongly classified you as the enemy and I apologize for that too as well. Hopefully in time you can forgive me.
How to Rectify This Situation?
I realize you may view this as a "too little too late" situation but this is my honest attempt at trying to help. I don't believe you are the enemy and I want to help you. Please let me man.
I'm almost certain skeptic is his own little warrior.
He's been playing the victim role since he decided to start trolling other users. He was threatening people with gay porn pics and insisted he'd keep doing it until they removed the flags, which he did. He kept on harassing people, then getting flagged, then crying like he was being censored. Then he'd troll and spam again, get flagged, and cry about being censored. Two weeks of this. Recently, he's been targeting new users, telling them to be weary of this place, talking about censorship, but leaving out the parts about trolling, threatening and spamming people. He's good at playing the victim. I'd say, he'd be better off learning how to save himself, because he put himself where he is now.
^ this
Skeptic deserves no more chances. By my count he had 4 already and blew them all. Every one of those chances resulted in him getting big payouts. Lets face it the only way to give someone rep back is to upvote and pay them. That is a slap in the face to people that create good content and a form of abuse itself.
As for Topikzmonster (the other 3 accounts are his too) he came here with an abusive attitude. His goal was just to abuse steemit in every way possible. First spamming tags, then threats, then flag bots, then spamming comments, then spamming alerts.
I spent a lot of my voting power over the last few weeks fighting abuse from all those accounts. They don't deserve to ever be positive rep again.
Thank you for weighing in on this sir.
I do see that some of the usage by the accounts would be viewed as abusive. I'm unsure exactly how to deal with the matter now after seeing the replies from the accounts being apologized to. :/
you are going to earn your money on every post asshole. You and everyone else that thinks they are above me.
For a special friend on valentines day.
roflmmfao ^^^^
I think @skeptic might be just the one account. If they are the same I'd be surprised as I've had many conversations with @skeptic and he seems quite different from when I spoke to @topikzmonster who owns @livemoral, and @livehonest and likely @iloveupvotes.
So It is possible those four accounts are @skeptic's but I would be surprised.
@skeptic hasn't been as aggressive and is totally anti-flag. The other accounts in question (maybe not @iloveupvotes) went on a auto flag tirade, and I spoke to @topikzmonster about it before I ended up finally muting the two @live accounts and @topikz... I haven't needed to do that for the upvotes one.
Anyway, they could be @skeptic, but I'd be pretty surprised... their stated belief and use of the flag seems diametrically opposed.
I am not sure but my reading and guts tell me same owner. I may be wrong and if corrected by eitehr Skeptic or iloveupvotes will edit. :)
Let's put it this way. I've spoken to @skeptic many times and he's always been respectful(Edit: To Me... and very much against using the flag... believes in using words and images to shame flaggots as he puts it). @topikz basically LOLed and indicated how I wasted my time trying to even help and offer advice that might help them out of the situation they were in. That doesn't seem like something Skeptic would do. I also spoke to Skeptic several times after that. The iloveupvotes one I'm not sure.
You may very well be correct. It is pretty easy to determine if a user is the same just by looking at nuances in how they speak, punctuation, spelling etc etc.
I might be wrong thinking these are the same people. Have to wait for one of them to weigh in and tell me Ièm a lunatic or correct. lol
I do know @topikzmonster, @livemoral, @livehonest are all the same person because @topikzmonster told me those other two accounts were his when I was trying to help him.
I put that together as well. I'm interested to see now if they are one and the same.
Your good people klye. You have a great spirit, a real want to do good. You love being liked. I can't think of a better more moral person to keep trying to support over and over again no matter what has happened. In the end of the day even tho I run 4 accounts from 1 person, I represent all. All without a voice that have been punished for a voice and that came here with a dream. I set myself aside. Decided to speak out for all silenced. I am effective because I do not give up. I'm worse than a plaguing virus when it comes to never giving up. Led to exposing more and more. Like any other dark place we all end up in from time to time, I just wanted a small place to shine a light like the rest.
I hear a lot of things, I listen to only a fraction. I look out at life, it tells a story. So, I take my own advice. I do however hear all. And understand well your first attempt on my first account topikzmonster. I've had a hard life. I don't stop because I have to much heart. I never give up. Not until my last breath. Even if it's me against the world my friend.
For a special friend on valentines day.
roflmmfao ^^^^
Much different person. But I do not like what they are doing to skeptic either. I have developed quite the following of abused users in a manner.
I don't think @skeptic is the same person as those other accounts.
I may be wrong! Often am.
I kind of thought Skeptic was the owner behind these accounts so I added it. I'm sure if wrong @skeptic or @iloveupvotes will come correct me.
I'm a completely different person. And that's all I want. 1 Voice out of 4.
I have to agree with you #neoxian I don't think these accounts are related. But then again like @klye says I may be wrong! often am. :)
Basically my catch-phrase. I'm wrong often enough to admit it. XD
For a special friend on valentines day.
roflmmfao ^^^^
I don't think @skeptic is the same as the rest. As far as I'm concerned, @iloveupvotes deserves all the negativity it received from its spam campaign, but I think @skeptic deserves a break.
You my friend are not judge nor jury over humanity. I deserve what the rest deserves. Lest you get punished for all the wrongdoing you have done since birth, then do not try and condemn others for simply spamming messages when their voice was taken. Thank you.
Commenting on objectively spammy behavior is being neither judge nor jury over humanity. Your posts have been a nuisance, and people responded accordingly. If you want upvotes, produce content people are willing to upvote. If you're trying to make some kind of point, clearly articulate that point. Don't play martyr.
I understand that you think your smart. But, fact here is I act accordingly while your talking about it. When people stop silencing me, I'll stop attacking. Period. Debate that with yourself see how that goes. No matter your opinion, or the opinion of any other. Act like you have a voice to silence me at all at will, and I will continue to shut down such thinking with the same actions that have been taking place. I speak loud from my corner. And will continue to. When people stop acting like they can hush me from my corner in such a degree, I will not have to stand in my corner and yell but talk quietly with all others. This does not start with me, nor am I a monster. I don't care how much you hissie fit about spamming. My advice, get over it. People will often say things you do not like. Learn to look away instead of form an opinion of everything that comes through. It will not end with me either. It will end when the Blockchain we are on acts like a chain, instead of leaving broken links laying about. Pick up the link. Don't sit around like crumpets and debating can make the chain you are on stronger by deciding what must be done with any chain link at any given time. I would sure hate to be the poor guy sitting on the corner needing anything as you walk past.
IMO your reaction was completely justified. "im going to make everyone miserable until i get what i want" is a terrible way to handle things, even if "what i want" is something thats completely reasonable.
Not the diplomatic nor acceptable way to deal with things sadly but the path he chose.
Agreed whole heartedly @sigmajin.. Well put.
IMO, there is a disturbing increase in the number of people who deal with real or percieved injustices this way on steemit.
r4fken was probably the first. At least, he is the first that i can recall. But the basic idea is that you can overcome a disparity in influence by expanding the conflict to un-involved third parties. Conceptually, its the same fundamental concept that underlies terrorism.
The thing is, you can't always get what you want. And no, this is not just a steemit thing. Its true in every system thats stake weighted. Including pretty much anything that happens in the business world. I think the term "toxic" has become an overused platitude. But people who react to not getting their way by attacking the entire underlying system really are toxic.
Ill work with pretty much anyone. Because money is money. but ill never work with someone like that. Because people like that turn everything around them to shit.
I've noticed the increasing trend as well.
Seems ever since the @asshole psy op a number of copy-cat users have popped up trying to change things by acting out in asinine ways against the network and it's users.
I do remember r4fken as well. Think you are correct he was kind of the first mal-content to go on that the whole network ended up having to taste.
Life is an enigma to some and painfully simple to others. Not everyone perceives things the same way nor deploys reason or thought in the same matter. Which is for the best. If we all thought the same life would be monotonous.
I tried my best to rectify this situation but some people simply cannot be told anything or reasoned with and that seems to be the case here. Which is unfortunate because I'd much rather resolved this without conflict but seemingly the user behind this wave of asshattery only wants war. :/
Some people simply put are too caught up in their own shit or too dense to realize when a battle is over. Oh well.. It's not a big deal to me to accept the fact I extended humility and received a "F you" in response. Such is life. :)
yah my last post is on that mater!
well you could be please kindly revieve mine!
my payment's is going so low...
but i'm almost getting the vote bar muahahah 300sp right?!!!
my recent posts: feats your questions!
steemians-are-making-a-better-world
understanding-balance
make-love-not-bots-people-please-3-3
Want to note here as well that the 4 accounts I have had zero bot purposes. They were 4 "tries" to succeed that were taken down that resulted in being used as bots in defense.
I will help you upvote them.
I've been up voting @skeptic when I notice a post for awhile now, as I don't believe he should be getting flagged. Iloveupvotes may be another I need to watch and see if I should help out. The other three I muted with cause though, so I will not be supporting them. They were lashing out at people that hadn't done anything to them. I cannot endorse that.
ok, for now, I will upvote @skeptic and hold off on the others.
Looking at their account I actually think it is pretty likely they are also owned by @topikzmonster and they may not be auto flagging people like mad like he did with his other accounts, which was my primary issue as he was attacking people who didn't do anything to him. The iloveupvotes account seems to be just using words. I could be wrong.
They are spammy about their complaining but I have a hard time truly calling it spam when really it seems more like a cry for help and dissatisfaction.
So I don't think it may be worth auto-flagging like some are, but whether it is up vote worthy is totally up to you.
@klye I appreciate the fact that you are trying to be fair and make good if you wronged someone. It will all work out :-)
We all make mistakes. Hopefully we learn from them, and when we learn from them it is a good thing if people actually give us a chance to change rather than permanently casting us as a BAD GUY. That's my stance anyway.
I haven't wronged him yet, I just don't want to wrong him. :) I'm trying to develop and follow my own code of honor so to speak with regards to people on steemit. I will only flag for abuse, spam, and plagiarism. I tend to research plagiarism thoroughly before I flag it though, as some people I think can be trigger happy with that. Some is blatant and easy. I considered @topkizmonster and his two @live accounts blanket flagging anyone and everyone as abusive as he was flagging people who didn't ever do anything to him. Which is what I tried to talk to him about. Which is what he indicated I wasted my time on.
My code of honor that I use I won't flag anything because I don't personally like it. I simply likely won't read it, might not follow the person, and I won't up vote it. I treat things I up vote more like shopping in a store. I BUY the books, movies, etc that I like to read. I walk past the books on the shelf that are of no interest to me. I don't stop to rip off the cover or write a big X on it.
That's about it...
Well even if @iloveupvotes is the same as those others. If he did end up taking my advice after telling me I was wasting my time then that account might be worth supporting. I need to start following it. So as far as that one, if you are comfortable doing as you just stated that is fine, but please don't let my lack of info on iloveupvotes color your opinion on them.
point taken.
Please do upvote @skeptic. He deserves it. He has been through a long hard battle as well.
While people are pulling this chain apart, I will keep fighting to be a link. It's a blockchain. Like a human life, none should get to decide the fate of another when that fate is human rights being taken. I am equal.
Thank you. Every vote helps regain their accounts rep. :)
Ty, that would be epic. To have a voice again would be more than epic.
I am pretty sure that skeptic isn't connected to topik and his alts
Alright. Noted!
Will wait for one of them boys to show up to confirm or deny it. :)
You would be correct.
If is not Skeptic then it will be someone else.
I understand what the problem is, I think. The problem is money talks and he (assuming his gender, haha) was expecting to find a place where he can talk freely without repercussion and this is not it. Money talks and those with more money can purchase more stake (not necessarily by any honest means, one can buy shares with money from crime) and silence those who want to speak by taking any incentive to do so.
That's what I think he's fighting against and that's an idea I can get behind, I too came here running from censorship, I just disagree with his methods.
I am anti-flag too, not because you can control your stake and express your opinion by placing it, I do agree this is a good thing though I wouldn't do it myself. I also agree there must be a way to report abuse, but I don't know a better way to implement these parameters. The problem I'm currently having with flags is bots, as if alliances, secondary accounts and the fact that you can purchase stake aren't difficult enough to deal with.
I think Skeptic has been civilized to an extent because with the amount of things I've told him many had told me exactly how they want to see me dead. I don't think he's a troll and I think I'm a good judge of character given I've lived this far with my circumstances, you can read my blog if you want to know more.
I do think he might have a little bit of a warrior complex, perhaps he thinks irreverence can make the changes he wants and this apology might just show him right. Though I am glad you came forward to recognize you may be mistaken. Still, I think there's smarter ways to go about his complaint.
I may be wrong, Skeptic may just be what we need given we are still in beta. Imagine when the wild internet finds out you can get paid to rant? There's going to be all kinds of real trolls here so maybe this is just a necessary exercise to try to prepare for the masses.
Even the masses have never seen anything like me. I have been all over the web. Best Idea is to treat me and all others equal. Or the actual truth in the end is, you will end up with a million of me when the doors do open due to treatment. This is about nothing other than moral reasoning for me. This is once again a block chain, leave a link, I watch you fall. A very simple concept.
But once again for all paying actual attention, I'm not skeptic.
And the only thing this post did, was get me attacked more by asshole bernie who thinks they control others. While everyone sits around debating like I'm trash, I have a wall full of comments here that were only attacked on an apology post. You want to talk about making people angry and unwanted. Fuck the bullshit. I'm a grown ass man. Wait until the new toys come and doors do open. I want the world to see how everyone does. I have a month of compiled proofs I will carry with me from account to account. I will also make many more accounts. There is only 1 end here, and it is not mine. While all the scums wear out the names of their reputable accounts, in that day we will watch them fall as we flourish. And the ultimate product here being a mirror effect. Every move made only does themselves in. Me, I'm fucking expendable it seems. ;)