The Happy Moron

I feel vaguely unclean.

I never post on Slashdot. It’s just not worth it. There are too many voices screaming for any conversation to emerge. Too many posters are on a mad dash to accumulate virtual glory and distinction. Adding to the clamour is vanity, nothing more.

But when I saw this post, something popped. It snapped, it just… went.

It was this moment.

The only thing which can calm my conscience is the hope that maybe they weren’t really trolling. Maybe they were just genuinely the wrongest person on the internet (and arrogant to boot). There’s something about someone stating that, “Black is white, and if you don’t realize that you don’t know anything about programming.” which will make the mildest geek’s blood boil with righteous indignation.

Maybe they will see the light.

I couldn’t help myself. I felt the flamer’s rage and I let it consume me. As the waves of blinding fire engulfed me it felt good; it felt right. I was doing something for the cause of the just; I was answering my call.

And now… Emptiness. A sense of futility and regret. The knowledge of having done… a shameful thing. Somehow, I am less than I was; I despise myself and the object of my passion. I want to hide, to run, to make the memory go away, to say it never happened.