The Coughlan666 Situation

[starfedrogue]

What does everyone think of this debacle with TJ and Friends haranguing Coughlan?

I have been monitoring the fallout from last night's yanked video and I have to say I find a lot of it revolting. There is an unfortunate meme bouncing around that basically says "Richard can give it but he can't take it", whereas the sad truth is that him engaging in feisty retorts with people who willingly engaged with him is not in the same league as a cabal of vindictive bullies mounting a sustained campaign of harassment long after he has bowed out.

I have also had this comment today on one of my videos:

I have the original video downloaded, I uploaded it and but was removed by youtube thanks to his zombie-bots. Hence, I've decided to create several sock accounts for the sake of re-uploading it. Also I'll be sending the video to all those who want it, thats the only way free speech can be protected.

Wtf? Yes, protecting free speech is so obviously your motive for uploading sock-mirrors of an already adequately mirrored video.

I'm not wishing to take "sides" on this issue but if you looked at my videos already you will have correctly guessed that I am going with "TJ etc are in the wrong", which to me is perfectly obvious. What does everyone else think? And what, if anything, can we do to point out people's errors in a way which will resonate with them and their cronies?

 

[ImprobableJoe]

I'm not clued in on the particulars, but in general I find serial harassment to be unwarranted. Especially if it is true that one party has bowed out of the conversation, and other people are trying to keep the trouble going "past its expiration date." TJ seems to be particularly guilty of blowing up everything into a gigantic rant-fueled war, where his goal is to "destroy" or "pwn" people who say ANYTHING he disagrees with, and lots of people who like that sort of thing tend to gang up on whoever the victim is this week. TJ's a fucking prick, and as far as I can tell he's just VFX without the religious justification or even the thinnest pretense of humanity. He's proud to "play you like a fiddle" which sounds an awful lot like trolling to me, and then acts like people deserve to be punished and crushed by him when they rise to his baiting.

It is one thing to disagree. Anyone who reads my posts knows I'm not afraid to disagree. On the other hand, people need to learn to just walk away after they've made their point, and then ran that point into the ground, and then run over the point with a steamroller, and then jumped up and down on it while poking it with a sharp stick. And for fuck's sake don't make it excessively personal. There's just no need for it.

 

[pigu0606]

The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

In light of the recent hostilities between our fellow atheists, I wish to point out the following:

Although the openness toward public scrutiny and debates should be fully embraced as the foundation of empirical reasoning and free speech, the recent ad hominem attacks between our popular atheist members on Youtube is a disappointment, if not hazardous.

It lays grounds for borderline pseudo-theists and agnostics to question the credibility of humanistic, free-thinking which TJ and Coughlin represent... thus, undermining our collective goodwill in swaying the malleable minded from picketing the lines of dogmatic thinkings forged by secular institutions.

Allowing our evolved human vulnerabilities of pride, bereavement, and camaraderie to misfire in such ways that overcome our rationality of achieving our higher purpose, we have become consumed by the very traps & hypocrisies that have engulfed human civilizations for millennia... the snowballing of vicious avengements fuels the very pious wars that have plagued our past & present.


as Carl Sagan once alluded to in his writing; in order to change the world for the better, we must first start from within.

I hope our outspoken representatives will not continue to succumb to backward paths.

 

[starfedrogue]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

** coughmergecough **

http://forums.leagueofreason.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=613

 

[Espi]

I don't really know what the hell it's all about. I agree it's all unnecessary though.

 

[Aught3]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

TJ represents rationality? That's a new one :lol:

 

[monitoradiation]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

I've not seen the debacle, but from what I've gathered, it's two people having wordfights. Pretty simple. I'd let them fight it out, if one side isn't overly harrassing the other. (which, by the sounds of it, someone is)

I simply think this is a good lesson in that it is important, while having the freedom of speech, to utilize them with civility. Sure, nobody has the right to take away anyone's right to speak their mind, but going around generally acting like an prima donna internet celebrity isn't going to win you any points anytime soon.

I don't see how this should turn the pseudo-theists and agnostics away from our side. Why, are we supposed to be a hivemind? Of course not. We'll have our squabbles. How can you not have conflicts with freedom of thought and speech?

 

[Otokogoroshi]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

TJ can go suck on an exhaust pipe for all I care. I don't wish any actual ill will on him nor do I waste emotions really disliking him. However I find him about as insightful and entertaining as dealing with a paper jam in a printer.

I like Coughlin somewhat but don't really pay him too much mind.

It would be nice if they could both grow up and get over what ever presumed slight they've felt towards each other but... its the internet. I doubt they'll shut up anytime soon

 

[Zerosix]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

Rumour has it that TJ has money problems so he's creating drama to gain more subs and thus more money. I think it is more to do with jealousy.

I personally think that TJ despite having somewhat of upbeat character who can take the piss out of himself as well as others. I think that deep down he's quite insecure with himself. So when he fluffs his 5 questions to PCS, gets the stocking knocked out of him by HTWW and fails at his 24 hour blog tv attempt. He starts to get insecure and looks for someone to "pwn" to make himself feel better.

He pwns people like Apologetics but they don't really care. His whole "I scared Apologetics off YT was a load of shit really". He takes on HTWW but can't handle all the shit that gets thrown back at him and hides behind Thunderf00t. (His comments that he could beat Thunderf00t in a argument were ridiculous. He couldn't even take on PCS ffs).

Then tries the whole blog tv thing to raise money for a camera / compete with Coughlin and fails. The video he made after the 24 hour failure where he childishly mocks C666 about his mole I think shows how jealous TJ is of C666. He doesn't like the fact they C666 is getting more and more popular compared to his now stale subscriber base (That was before everyone who could see sense unsubbed him)

The whole critizism of the C666 vs NVP crap was TJ throwing his toys out the pram. There was no need whatsoever to get involved but TJ wanted to rain on C666's parade.

Now with the blog tv suicide quote mining bullshit by TJ, Fakesagan and the other lackies is a failed attempt by TJ to shame C666 off YT so he can claim back his YT Atheist Leader crown (Even though it didn't exist in the first place)


As for how this debacle is effecting the rest of us.

It doesn't really. We've always stated that we are individuals and that other atheist / freethinkers though they may share similar beliefs are not the same as us (hope that makes sense).

Worst case scenario, we chalk off C666 and TJ as people that don't share our values and should not be associated with us.

 

[MachineSp1rit]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

how can u guys watch this shit

 

[CosmicSpork]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

I've given up completely... it's pointless and not even entertaining...

 

[Josan]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

I've given up completely... it's pointless and not even entertaining...

I second that....

 

[Möbiµs]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

I've given up completely... it's pointless and not even entertaining...

Third.

I used to watch them both, but unsubscribed ever since TJ started caring more about subscribers and wanted people to buy his bloody book all the time. C666 used to be hilarious when he posted his stand-ups and was generally goofing around in his videos. Now he's just washed out.

 

[Gnomesmusher]

Re: The Debacle: theAmazingAtheist V.s. Coughlin666

Heh. This was the specific drama that I was talking about in my "fellow Atheist" thread where I said that I was disappointed at my fellow atheists and a few TJ followers jumped down my throat. TJ and gang are a trigger happy bunch so it's not surprising they'd start some fight about nothing.

 

[Daealis]

First few videos were entertaining enough, when they just did some light 'neener-neener'-things to each other. Past that it has just been stupid. Started one starring their videos about each other in hopes that maybe someone else is fed up and does the same.