Just seen this thread and will echo others' calls for RB to just take a break from posting, he's a valuable contributor to the board and it would be a shame to see him go.
I was getting riled up a while back and just stopped posting, but kept reading the same threads I would always read - it was strangely empowering/liberating to know that I wasn't going to comment, I could just read the stuff that would usually wind me up and just shrug it off with a chuckle. I could simply read a dumb post and laugh it off.
You're never going to change people's minds when they are dug in, you're never going to get the decisive 'win' that you want in an argument. And you can never beat the trolls because they just love it, they're here for the conflict, not a reasoned exchange of ideas.
Speaking of the trolls though - lots of references to the bad actors and pile-on merchants in this thread - I always wonder who are we talking about? I know who I'm talking about, but I don't think there's any consensus on who the bad guys are
There's all these little cliques, one man's troll is another man's freedom fighter and all that.
I do so wish we had a like/dislike button for posts though. Many times I'll see a good poster having a back and forth with some idiot, and you don't want to wade in because that will just escalate and prolong the conflict, and probably get the thread locked. But you do want to reassure the good guy that they are right, that you agree with them, because you know how maddening it can be to be in their position.