Dogs And Shoulder Chips

I know of someone, not more than a million miles from here, that continually tries to provoke others on social media because of their perceived grievances regarding politics. That person's hysterical posts are directly in conflict with their personal demeanor when you meet that person. Something is going on to cause them to vent like this. And while it is tempting to get into it with them, that won't solve anything. 

The same is true in the dog training world. There are a few agitators who stir up trouble for their perceived grievances. In these cases, I can only speculate on the motives. I think some of it stems from unstable personalities. Since I don't know them personally, I can only guess. The other part, I'm sure, is to generate clicks on their social media accounts, which translates into making money. Basically... internet harlots. While it is somewhat satisfying to engage with them online, just to prove them wrong, I'm not sure any of that will change what they are doing. All the incentives are there for them to keep doing what they are doing. 

So, when you see someone with a chip on their shoulder, tempting you to knock it off and start a fight, it will take some willpower to walk away. 

Are there fights worth having in life? Yes. There will be a threshold that meets the definition of self defense, even intellectually, where your self interests, or the interests of others, must be defended. I can't define that threshold, since that covers so much ground, but you'll know it when it faces you. 

Most of the time it is better to avoid mentally unstable persons that are looking to provoke a fight. That is especially hard when in front of a keyboard it is so easy to get involved. 

If you are the one with the chip, just remember, once you start a fight you might not be the one who finishes the fight. Maybe you shouldn't hit the Return button on your device. Maybe if you are really that upset and keep posting challenges, get some therapy. 

Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own - Proverbs 26:17