I’ve run across these terms several times, but without enough context to figure out what they mean. Could someone help me out, please?

ETA All of you are amazing! A huge thank you to everyone who responded, and an extra thank you to those who have provided links or explanations to further and/or related information. I am learning so much by reading all of these comments!

      • blackbelt352@lemmy.world
        15·
        1 year ago

        Sealioning is a sort of evolution of JAQing off. It’s the JAQ coupled with feigned innocence and indignance when people actually stop putting up with BS.

        Actually after thinking a bit deeper about it, it mirrors Socratic Questioning, but with the opposite intended end goal of muddying the waters instead of gaining clarity.

    • KurtDunniehue@ttrpg.network
      10·
      1 year ago

      I’ve seen Sealioning used quite a bit in a particular Lemmy instance that would self describe themselves as Pro-Russia & Pro-China, as a way of shutting down discourse between people who disagree with them. There are people who disagree with a particular narrative, and they’re discounted immediately for wanting to know how someone would arrive at a pro-Russian & pro-China position.

      Also they’ll just “whatabout!” and change the subject whenever unassailable critiques of these regimes come up. As if its is only possible to hold outrage in a single direction at a time.

      I’ll have you know I’m capable of disliking EVERYONE mentioned in a given conversation.

      • dustyData@lemmy.world
        17·
        1 year ago

        It’s related but it differs on the form. Concern trolling is derailing online discussions and debates by simulating concern over a seemingly valid counterpoint, making all participants waste time and effort arguing a previously settled matter, or pretending to just be playing devil’s advocate. Acting as if, although you support the cause or discussion at hand, you somehow still have some valid concerns to oppose.

      • blackbelt352@lemmy.world
        2·
        1 year ago

        Concern trolling is “raising concerns” about certain issues that have little to no basis in reality and only serves to inject bigotry and bad ideas. For example, people were concerned about “the gays™” spreading their immoral gay AIDS virus all over innocent children during the 80s and into the 90s, only to learn that AIDS is spread through contact with broken mucosa membranes, which then shifted to “the gays™ are pedos” argument.

        The “concerns” are nearly always disingenuous.

    • dhork@lemmy.world
      7·
      1 year ago

      Everyone points to the comic in regards to sealioning, but I have always equated it to posters who are incapable of having an actual debate and keep saying “Why? Why? Why? Why?” until they get tired and fall asleep under the pier (but then their friend wakes up and takes over).

    • Blamemeta@lemmy.world
      93·
      1 year ago

      Worst bit is sealioning is almost indistugishable from legitimate questions a lot of time.

    • aaron_griffin@lemmy.world
      6·
      1 year ago

      I usually think of sealioning as also requiring some element of butting in with your pet issue when it’s not apart of the discussion.

      OH YEAH WELL WHAT ABOUT UKRAINE?!

      • meco03211@lemmy.world
        3·
        1 year ago

        Biden’s gas prices are so high. Worst president ever.

        gas prices go down

        mention that Biden should be congratulated for lowering prices if he was the cause for them going up

        Yeah well… he’s still the worst for all these other reasons!

    • RagingNerdoholic@lemmy.ca
      2·
      1 year ago

      But why, specifically, is the term “Sealioning”? Is it referencing some behavior exhibited by sealions? Is it an aggregate of or wordplay on other slang?