"The Internet Crusader"

[Miss Modular]

Lately, I've been doing a lot of reflection. This summer, it will be ten years (!) since I began using the internet. And I've been posting at messageboards for almost as long. Over the years, I've noticed that there are recurring types of posters. So I've decided to write an essay devoted to detailing these types of posters.

My first "type" is the Internet Crusader.

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The crusader is out to convince and persuade people to join their cause. They come in all political shades, and ususally hold the belief that they are more enlightened than other posters at this board. They're usually convinced that they think for themselves, yet their sentiments are often reminiscent of Rush Limbaugh (Right) or Noam Chomsky (left).

The personality of a crusader is a paranoid one. Crusaders distrust "mainstream media" (i.e. The New York Times, CNN). Instead, they'll post articles from alternative news sources that support their point of view, such as NewsMax or WorldNetDaily (Right), or IndyMedia and Common Dreams (left). Crusaders are also distrustful of polls, until they find one they agree with. They are prone to conspiracy theories, such as "9/11 is an Inside Job" (left), and anything regarding the Clintons (Right).

Posters that fit into this description may also be trolls, but this is not always the case. The poster may also have serious anger issues, but again, this is not always the case either. Most of the time, crusaders can be found at Political Message Boards or the Political Section of a message board.

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My next installment: The Blusterer. (Think OAO or KulturKampf). I've come up with a couple of other types, but if you can think of any, let me know.