the modhatter's definitions
Trolling, which trolls call "Trying to engage in a controversial yet civil debate and requesting evidence from someone who refuses to provide such evidence to back up their claims." In short, sealioning is a form of censorship, in which case the trolls aim to exhaust free speech -- and if people block the toxic trolls, said trolls will just open up new accounts in the hope of making people be silent.
Used to accurately describe trolls who "request evidence" of things that any SINCERE person could just Google themselves, if they SINCERELY wanted to know anything. But this is simply not their true intent. They have been trained to exhaust any actual civil debate by popping up like a loud sea lion to frustrate and annoy people into not talking about things which offend said sealions.
"Sealioning" as a term is used to point out trolls' dishonesty by putting the blame where it belongs, on the one troll who tries to shout down SINCERE conversations by calling their trolling "debate."
Used to accurately describe trolls who "request evidence" of things that any SINCERE person could just Google themselves, if they SINCERELY wanted to know anything. But this is simply not their true intent. They have been trained to exhaust any actual civil debate by popping up like a loud sea lion to frustrate and annoy people into not talking about things which offend said sealions.
"Sealioning" as a term is used to point out trolls' dishonesty by putting the blame where it belongs, on the one troll who tries to shout down SINCERE conversations by calling their trolling "debate."
Troll A : Can you give me a link to a study or article that validates your claim ?
Person A : Do you really need a study that validates my statement that water is wet? This sealioning is appallingly pathetic.
Person B : I have touched water, and it is indeed wet.
Troll A : Prove it !
Every rational person: Why do you feel it necessary to spend so much of your life sealioning? All you're doing is proving that no amount of "evidence" can sway you.
Person A : Do you really need a study that validates my statement that water is wet? This sealioning is appallingly pathetic.
Person B : I have touched water, and it is indeed wet.
Troll A : Prove it !
Every rational person: Why do you feel it necessary to spend so much of your life sealioning? All you're doing is proving that no amount of "evidence" can sway you.
by the modhatter June 3, 2023
Get the Sealioningmug. Noun
In 2016, when Russia and Republicans couldn't rig the Democrat Primary for Putin's Plan B, Bernie Sanders, professional loser Jill Stein offered Bernie Sanders her Green Party slot on the ballot. Other Berniecrats who have embraced the Putinist include Nina Turner, and various Squad members who say they support the Green New Deal, yet support Russian oligarchs and their Climate Changing petroleum. By taking China's side against TPP and pollution, these Bernie Bros revealed themselves once again to be Blue MAGA -- until indictments confirmed that they were never True Blue Democrats at all. Hence they became known as the Green Tea Party, or simply Green MAGA.
In more recent times, the Berniecrats' support of Putin and Trump resulted in the reversal of Roe V Wade, and AOC was among the first to adopt the Green garb of a cult group being run by Bob Akavian, using people's anger at Republicans' desire to rape and control women into a grift to take money AWAY from pro-choice groups.
In 2016, when Russia and Republicans couldn't rig the Democrat Primary for Putin's Plan B, Bernie Sanders, professional loser Jill Stein offered Bernie Sanders her Green Party slot on the ballot. Other Berniecrats who have embraced the Putinist include Nina Turner, and various Squad members who say they support the Green New Deal, yet support Russian oligarchs and their Climate Changing petroleum. By taking China's side against TPP and pollution, these Bernie Bros revealed themselves once again to be Blue MAGA -- until indictments confirmed that they were never True Blue Democrats at all. Hence they became known as the Green Tea Party, or simply Green MAGA.
In more recent times, the Berniecrats' support of Putin and Trump resulted in the reversal of Roe V Wade, and AOC was among the first to adopt the Green garb of a cult group being run by Bob Akavian, using people's anger at Republicans' desire to rape and control women into a grift to take money AWAY from pro-choice groups.
"Why did AOC try to protest Nancy Pelosi over Green legislation that Pelosi has actually been an active proponent of for years?"
"What else would you expect from Green MAGA???"
"What else would you expect from Green MAGA???"
by the modhatter July 19, 2022
Get the Green MAGAmug. Sealioning is a term used to describe the actions of villains who demand "citations" for things that are prima facie true, in an attempt to harass and silence facts that give them cognitive dissonance.
As you can see on this very page of definitions, conservatives will even Sealion the term "Sealioning," because it diminishes their capacity to use this fascist tactic.
As you can see on this very page of definitions, conservatives will even Sealion the term "Sealioning," because it diminishes their capacity to use this fascist tactic.
Person 1: An orange is an orange.
Troll 1: Can you provide a link to your claims?
Troll 2: Yeah, if you can't provide a link to prove that an orange is an orange, we own the libs once again!
Person 2: Don't worry, they're just Sealioning you. They're either bots, or just morons.
Troll 1: Can you provide a link to your claims?
Troll 2: Yeah, if you can't provide a link to prove that an orange is an orange, we own the libs once again!
Person 2: Don't worry, they're just Sealioning you. They're either bots, or just morons.
by the modhatter May 9, 2023
Get the Sealioningmug. When a White Heterosexual Affluent Male, or WHAM, feels threatened by non-WHAM, particularly in politics or pop culture, he will make obnoxious ad hominem attacks. But because the WHAM typically does not possess much intellect OR self-confidence, he'll enlist the help of other online bullies to swarm his victim: hence, BroHive.
Despite connotations, a responding member of BroHive needn't identify as male -- maintaining Patriarchy has often attracted females like Phyllis Schlaffly, that Jameela Jamil calls "Double Agents."
Similarly, while many associate "Bros" with Bernie Sanders, "BernieBros" is to "Bros" as "Square" is to "Rectangle." Often, BroHive will activate any time you mention, for instance, the Second Amendment. There is seldom an attempt to make any serious point; the swarm will merely make ridiculous Strawman Fallacies.
The point of BroHive is not to change hearts or minds, merely to harass people into silence. They will even do this to people who are ACTIVELY working on the causes that BroHive profiles CLAIM to support, if the victim doesn't support the cause EXACTLY the way the BroHive want. Furthermore, when victims of BroHive defend themselves, the root narcissism of BroHive will make them believe that they, the perpetrators, are actually the victims, at which point they feel justified in doxxing their victims, photoshopping their victims into offensive and often violent memes, etc.
Despite connotations, a responding member of BroHive needn't identify as male -- maintaining Patriarchy has often attracted females like Phyllis Schlaffly, that Jameela Jamil calls "Double Agents."
Similarly, while many associate "Bros" with Bernie Sanders, "BernieBros" is to "Bros" as "Square" is to "Rectangle." Often, BroHive will activate any time you mention, for instance, the Second Amendment. There is seldom an attempt to make any serious point; the swarm will merely make ridiculous Strawman Fallacies.
The point of BroHive is not to change hearts or minds, merely to harass people into silence. They will even do this to people who are ACTIVELY working on the causes that BroHive profiles CLAIM to support, if the victim doesn't support the cause EXACTLY the way the BroHive want. Furthermore, when victims of BroHive defend themselves, the root narcissism of BroHive will make them believe that they, the perpetrators, are actually the victims, at which point they feel justified in doxxing their victims, photoshopping their victims into offensive and often violent memes, etc.
"All I did was point out that Susan Sarandon, a wealthy and privileged white woman, was making some incredibly offensive statements about the Working Class taking a day off before resuming the fight against the GOP, and the BroHive swarmed on me like a field of statice."
by the modhatter January 24, 2022
Get the BroHivemug. Horseshoe Law was once a theory, but the events of the 21st Century have established it as accepted law. However, it leaves certain questions unanswered. For example, the original Horseshoe Law sometimes neglects to mention the role of economics, and the fact that Democrats are not on the side of the Horseshoe, but at the bottom. Democrats are egalitarians -- what explains why some people climb up the right side through conservatism and others through white libertarianism? What finally unites both sides at the gap?
Pyramid Theory suggests that we all start at 0 on an X Axis. Narcissists move as far as they can to one end of the axis or the other, but realize they want to climb up the socioeconomic ladder. But narcissism is lonely without peons, so eventually they lean the ladder back to the middle, meeting narcissists from the other side at the top of the Pyramid, free to practice their Autocracy over the base.
Pyramid Theory suggests that we all start at 0 on an X Axis. Narcissists move as far as they can to one end of the axis or the other, but realize they want to climb up the socioeconomic ladder. But narcissism is lonely without peons, so eventually they lean the ladder back to the middle, meeting narcissists from the other side at the top of the Pyramid, free to practice their Autocracy over the base.
"I get why conservatives would open up two fronts against the Democrats, but those two candidates seemed so far apart -- why did Russia support both of them, and how did they know it would work?"
"At one end of the spectrum, you have Trumpers. At the other, you have Closet Trumpers. One side is proudly racist. The other scrambles for some rationalization that their racism isn't actually racist -- it's just 'identity politics,' 'economic anxiety,' or some other 'distraction.' Find someone willing to regurgitate those old lies, and you have control over the two sides of Pyramid Theory."
"At one end of the spectrum, you have Trumpers. At the other, you have Closet Trumpers. One side is proudly racist. The other scrambles for some rationalization that their racism isn't actually racist -- it's just 'identity politics,' 'economic anxiety,' or some other 'distraction.' Find someone willing to regurgitate those old lies, and you have control over the two sides of Pyramid Theory."
by the modhatter June 11, 2025
Get the Pyramid Theorymug. Misogyny is far too gentle a term.
A phobia is not just a fear -- feeling creeped out when you walk into a spider web is rational/burning down the house because you saw a dust bunny that might have been a spider is an irrational fear (arachnophobia).
In the patriarchy, a real Alpha -- or even a normal human -- has no reason to fear half the planet. Yet, they do.
They kill women.
The cause serious physical and mental harm to women.
That's genocide, by definition.
"Misogyny" just doesn't describe that adequately.
A phobia is not just a fear -- feeling creeped out when you walk into a spider web is rational/burning down the house because you saw a dust bunny that might have been a spider is an irrational fear (arachnophobia).
In the patriarchy, a real Alpha -- or even a normal human -- has no reason to fear half the planet. Yet, they do.
They kill women.
The cause serious physical and mental harm to women.
That's genocide, by definition.
"Misogyny" just doesn't describe that adequately.
Rashida Tlaib can't even condemn rape?
What can I say? In the Patriarchy, Gynophobia can be internalized.
What can I say? In the Patriarchy, Gynophobia can be internalized.
by the modhatter August 8, 2025
Get the Gynophobiamug. Verb
Related to the term "Sealioning," which is bad-faith trolling in the form of asking a series of insincere question that anyone ACTUALLY interested in the topic already know for a fact, or can search for online themselves.
In this case, "Prelioning" is when a person posts something highly subjective as if it is fact, and when people ask what the subjective opinion is based on (because some people do have different criteria for forming subjective opinions), the original person will just keep replying "look it up yourself."
Someone posting in good faith is happy to give examples -- which in fact they usually do in the Original Post. Anyone suggesting that "facts" not in evidence are nevertheless true on their face is gaslighting.
Related to the term "Sealioning," which is bad-faith trolling in the form of asking a series of insincere question that anyone ACTUALLY interested in the topic already know for a fact, or can search for online themselves.
In this case, "Prelioning" is when a person posts something highly subjective as if it is fact, and when people ask what the subjective opinion is based on (because some people do have different criteria for forming subjective opinions), the original person will just keep replying "look it up yourself."
Someone posting in good faith is happy to give examples -- which in fact they usually do in the Original Post. Anyone suggesting that "facts" not in evidence are nevertheless true on their face is gaslighting.
Reply 1: "You keep talking about Bernie Sanders' accomplishments. I know his record, and I don't consider PLCAA, naming post offices, and dumping waste in Sierra Blanca to be accomplishments -- so, honestly, what has Bernie done that you consider accomplishments?"
Reply 2: "Don't bother. He's doing this Prelioning as part of a grand clout-chasing scheme."
Reply 2: "Don't bother. He's doing this Prelioning as part of a grand clout-chasing scheme."
by the modhatter August 25, 2022
Get the Prelioningmug.