Selective Responding

A variant of selective response, emphasizing the ongoing, interactive nature of the manipulation. In selective responding, the digitallighter repeatedly picks one element from each of the target’s messages—ignoring the rest—and responds only to that element, often twisting its meaning. Over multiple exchanges, the target’s original argument becomes fragmented and lost, while the digitallighter controls the flow. The target feels unheard and gaslit, unsure whether their own points were ever communicated.

Example: “Every time she tried to explain systemic factors, he’d grab a single word and argue about that instead—selective responding, turning dialogue into a hall of mirrors.”

by Abzugal April 5, 2026

It's Not Responding

I suck at this game.

Gamer 1: Did you lose again?
Gamer 2: It's not responding.

by Ed Sky December 19, 2019