#Sealioning

[creature-wizard]

Sealioning 101

So if you don't already know, "sealioning" is a term for a type of bad faith behavior where someone repeatedly asks for information or evidence that they're not actually interested in. It's a form of trolling.

For example, a young earth creationist might go around saying something like, "Can anybody show me proof of evolution? I keep asking people, but no one will answer me."

Then well-meaning people come and and provide resources. The troll, who of course isn't actually interested in learning or changing their mind, will just keep acting like nobody's answering their question, and keep demanding answers. It's frustrating and exhausting.

A big sign that you're being sealioned is demanding information that's incredibly easy to find. Now of course, people sometimes genuinely just don't know where to find certain information that most of us take for granted, and sometimes people are just lazy and treat random Internet strangers like their personal butlers. (Having a pinned post with a FAQ will take care of most of these people, btw.)

What gives a sealion away is their refusal to accept and engage with provided resources, and their favorite lie, "I keep asking, but no one will answer me."

Think for a moment: how likely is it that someone went around asking a bunch of biologists or at least biology nerds for evidence of evolution, and no one gave them anything? Does it seem that likely that no one gave them any links or made any book recommendations? Does it seem likely that a bunch of people who really love talking about biology just suddenly clammed up around this person for no reason?

Trolls will sealion over anything, especially hot political topics. For example, they've been sealioning with JK Rowling's transphobia, asking for evidence that she ever said or did anything transphobic while claiming no one ever answers them when they ask. Trolls have been sealioning for Donald Trump for years now, pretending they just don't understand why people are so worked up over Trump, and that nobody they've asked will give them a real answer.

Again, ask yourself: how likely is it, really, that someone on Tumblr Dot Com can't find a single person who can tell them what these people have done and said that have so many people displeased with them? And do we think that this person who is supposedly soooo interested in seeing what all the fuss is about, never once tried Google or something?

Seems pretty unlikely, when you actually stop and think about it. In fact, it's a pretty obvious lie, because we know damn well that lots of people are more than happy to explain why they don't like Trump and Rowling, and any determined person could find the information they want in like five minutes on any search engine.

Sealioning is troll behavior. If someone is sealioning, they are a troll. It's that simple.

[notaplaceofhonour]

who TALKS like this?

[lilithsaintcrow]

“If you’re a man and that O.P. is a woman, her facts are feelings and your feelings are facts, and those forty-seven increasingly lengthy responses you fired off were clearly a rational reaction. If she reacted negatively to them, do not forget to rebuke her for being emotional."

[spot-the-antisemitism]

blocks me before I can respond so they can have the moral high ground and say I had no evidence

[brightlotusmoon]

[existennialmemes]

[describe-things]

instead of asking people to explain again why something is racist, go to the reblogs and read the posts that have already been made explaining why it's racist instead of demanding Black people repeat themselves for every single person who's too lazy to read what has already been written.

Demanding a personal explanation of why something is racist tailor-made for you when it's already been explained multiple times is just more racism.

Instead of jumping in to the replies to demand yet another explanation of why something is racist...how about go to the reblogs, set it to comments only, and read what's already been said first?

If you actually want to understand, then put in the bare minimum effort to learn. It's right there in the reblogs. Demanding people give you a personal presentation when it's already been said multiple times is just more racism.

You are demanding even more emotional and intellectual labor from the person who took the time in the first place to point out the racism, instead of actually putting in the effort to read what has already been said. That's racist.

[melblogsgfreethruptsd]

It’s not that they “don’t understand”

They’re not “confused”

It’s weaponized incompetence.

[rjalker]

freakthemer said on July 24 2024:

You’re still not offering alternatives. Tell me in your own words what you want me to do to fix this and how i will be protected from dying about it if i do. I’ll listen, with an open mind i promise. I just dont want to lay down and die. What is it exactly that you want me to do to change things?

point and laugh at the sealion everyone

[lilycat23]

Remember this when your online folks! Some examples would be:

"Tell me where JK Rowling said something transphobic" OR "How exactly is X Racist?" And then continuing to argue no matter what response you give.

[tachyonblu]

Lisa shares her thoughts on the harassment claims that some have made against GamerGate, how GG supporters like herself approached the topic, her own experience with harassment, the ZachAttack incident and her thoughts on the term "sealioning."

[notaplaceofhonour]

istg I get way too many stupid attempts at gotchas like this despite the fact that they never in any way follow from anything I’ve ever said about the I/P conflict

[soapdispensersalesman]

[spot-the-antisemitism]

Me: Does a post about how antisemite arguments don't make sense, specially the "go back to where u came from" thing because we are literally indigenous to Israel as jewish people but others don't like that we are

Ex-mutual coming back from the dead to spew antisemitic bs: do u have proof that u are? No u don't~ *ignores years of history and the fact the diaspora exists*

Remember to not interact with this sealioning clown

"jews are white colonizers" canard

[daisyknife]

What do you think lesbians are attracted to in women that we can’t be attracted to in men?

It can’t be anything about femininity or masculinity obviously. That’s both sexist, and cultural so can’t be what drives exclusive woman-only attraction.

It can’t be anything about stated identity because someone could lie just as easily as they could tell the truth in such a statement, and it makes no sense because homosexuality and heterosexuality exists in other species with no stated identities. It’s not like other animals without gender are all pan.

Saying idk it’s the vibes or some indescribable trait women have that men can’t but “I can’t explain” is a nonanswer.

Soooooooo what is it? Or do you think any sexuality but bi/pan is just cultural performance or an identity rather than an inborn orientation?

Dude, idk who you are, why you would think that I would be interested in indulging in some sort of terfy/biphobic(?) bioessentialist gotcha argument against gender identity on a blog where I promote my shitty music, my shitty streams and my excellent taste in 70s prog or how you expected this to go but let me tell you

You make me so sad. And I have the flu atm so I’m already feeling sort of like crap already.

You will take my refusal to engage with you as confirmation of your own lazy takes on something as complex as gender and sexuality and you will feel galvanised that you “got the libtard” or whatever you cowardly little narrow-minded devil’s advocate anons call anyone who has the decency to keep an open mind to human experiences they don’t understand because they’re different from our own

And you will keep refusing to actually inform yourself instead of asking random people on the internet to stop everything they’re doing to advocate for a minority’s existence (because I’m as cis as they come in case you didn’t know, I’m just an ally so not advocating for myself, but I’m sure your intent was to specifically harass gender non conforming and trans people so better luck next time I guess 😒), or else it is a confirmation that your specific prejudice is justified; all the while hiding behind anonymity because you know very well you are trying to intentionally cause harm to people who are just trying to live their lives peacefully and you know that’s vile.

Sealioning at its sealionest.

This interaction proves absolutely nothing about the topic of your ask since I’m not any sort of authority on the matter and given your Most Esteemed Title I’m guessing neither are you. It does however say loads about the sort of person you are.

Move on and possibly the furthest away from my blog and my gnc, trans and non binary mutuals as humanly possible.

[daddydotissuesatgmaildotcom]

"is it racist to display gollywogs in my pub?" i ponder, twirling my mustache and waiting until everyone leaves to laugh in the dark.