cmplx-xyttmt's blog

Casual Racism on Codeforces?
By cmplx-xyttmt, history, 3 years ago, In English

Hi all.

Recently I've been seeing a lot of weird blog posts and comments from/regarding this user Sparky_Master_WCH1226.

He claims to be from Botswana (I'm pretty sure he's not and just he's trolling). His behaviour and comments in weird/broken English perpetuate the racist/harmful stereotype that people from Africa are stupid and can't communicate properly.

I don't know what Codeforces' policy is on this kind of behaviour. But as an African, seeing such behaviour makes me pretty uncomfortable. Especially when other users seem to be jumping on the bandwagon.

Maybe I'm just being butthurt and he is just having a bit of harmless fun. What do you think?

  • Vote: I like it
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  • Vote: I do not like it

Comments Comments (47)
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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +82 Vote: I do not like it

I think we should all just support Botswana!

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -54 Vote: I do not like it

Only thing that's going to matter is "whether most people enjoy or dislike it". It doesn't feel good to be butt of the joke, but what are you going to do? Its not fair but it's life. I mean aren't you used to the constant disrespect from internet towards our 3rd world countries?

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +47 Vote: I do not like it

That's up to you to interpret what kind of stereotypes Sparky_Master is propagating. I personally haven't thought of the "stupid African stereotype" and actually most troll accounts use bad English regardless of the country they claim to be from.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -58 Vote: I do not like it

Please support Botswana sir

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +217 Vote: I do not like it

We need a browser extension to hide all content from negative-contribution farmers.

What I don't understand is why people are memeing about or "enabling" Sparky_Master instead of petitioning to ban such annoying trolls.

Also, what is the deal with trolls using Botswana? nrg_aceu and zucyo05 also set it as their country and posted similar annoying garbage. Is it just one troll who is obsessed with Botswana? Is it because it has "bot" as a substring?

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it -82 Vote: I do not like it

    lol, i dont think we have to ban such users.

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it -86 Vote: I do not like it

    We also need a browser extension to hide all content from contribution farmers.

    i keep seeing ur comments everywhere and they all are of the same "white knight"y kinda comments it's so annoying how some people would do anything for upvotes

    p.s. your humor is non-existent my guy

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      3 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it -57 Vote: I do not like it

      while ur at it, make an extension to hide his gay ass pfp. like goddamn that shit makes me wanna bussss

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      3 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +64 Vote: I do not like it

      I know this is probably a troll but I'm really not in the mood to do the right thing and ignore you right now so I'm going to respond to you anyway.

      First of all, you should know that at this point, my contribution is basically unaffected by comments.

      Secondly, it's baffling how you seem to take your made-up assumption that I am farming contribution as a self-explanatory fact. Is this how you normally think — by coming up with some theory that seems to make sense to you and never questioning whether it is the correct explanation? $$$B, A \to B, \vdash A$$$? If this is your way of thinking, it might explain the "_but_newbie" part in your username.

      "Everywhere" is also very questionable. In the last 3 weeks I have written 14 comments including this one and 4 that were responses to questions on my comments. Really that many?

      Finally, using "my guy" sarcastically like that is so arrogant that it makes me feel like I'm surrounded by redditors.

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        3 years ago, # ^ |
          Vote: I like it -62 Vote: I do not like it

        What I find "baffling" is how you "seem to take your made-up assumption" that a person disagreeing with you is a troll "as a self-explanatory fact". Just because I am a newbie doesn't mean that I should find every blog and comment you make interesting. It’s time to accept that more people find you annoying and utterly dull than you think.

        Also, I’d like to apologize for calling you “my guy”, your sassy white girl’s tone in the last paragraph made it clear you’re much less of a guy than anticipated.

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          3 years ago, # ^ |
          ← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +11 Vote: I do not like it

          What I find "baffling" is how you "seem to take your made-up assumption" that a person disagreeing with you is a troll "as a self-explanatory fact".

          Note that unlike you, I was very careful in choosing my words and wrote "probably". If "probably" and "self-explanatory fact" mean the same thing to you, well then... Your comment, however, repeats that pattern again by assuming this "troll" remark was because you disagreed with me.

          Just because I am a newbie doesn't mean that I should find every blog and comment you make interesting.

          And where did I state the contrary?

          It’s time to accept that more people find you annoying and utterly dull than you think.

          And how do you know how how many people I think find me annoying and utterly dull?

          Also, I’d like to apologize for calling you “my guy”, your sassy white girl’s tone in the last paragraph made it clear you’re much less of a guy than anticipated.

          In the same vein, I'd like to apologize for alleging that you might be a troll, your comment made it clear that no person could pretend to be that dumb unless they actually are that dumb.

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            3 years ago, # ^ |
              Vote: I like it -25 Vote: I do not like it

            Do you think that saying "probably" before every idiotic assumption protects you from others' opinions? You must be dumber than you claim I "probably" am.

            So, your “troll” remark has nothing to do with me disagreeing with you and it has nothing to do with me having low rating… what is it about then? Seems like all you needed was to read just one comment I made disagreeing with you to assume that I’m “probably” a troll.

            And how do you know how many people I think find me annoying and utterly dull?

            Well, it’s probably not even close to the right answer since you're still talking.

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              3 years ago, # ^ |
                Vote: I like it +5 Vote: I do not like it

              Do you think that saying "probably" before every idiotic assumption protects you from others' opinions?

              No? What makes you think that?

              So, your “troll” remark has nothing to do with me disagreeing with you and it has nothing to do with me having low rating… what is it about then?

              Uh, the content of your comment? Clearly there is more to it than the plain fact that you disagree with me. For example, the wild assumptions and logic contained in there.

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                3 years ago, # ^ |
                  Vote: I like it +69 Vote: I do not like it

                I haven't read all of the words above, but would like to conjecture that this argument is completely pointless :^)

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        3 years ago, # ^ |
          Vote: I like it -15 Vote: I do not like it

        So much for ur unaffected contribution

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      3 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +27 Vote: I do not like it

      Maybe he is just jealous that Sparky $$${\color{orange}{Master}}$$$ has higher rating than him.

      Applying the same logic, maybe you are also just jealous that he has higher rating (and contribution) than you. :3

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      3 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it +5 Vote: I do not like it

      ok if u care so much why not post on your main?

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it -7 Vote: I do not like it

    Trolling using Botswana makes it look like people in Botswana are some kind of trolls, use your own country so that we can think the opposite. I don't think you will be happy if he/she chose your country ?

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      3 years ago, # ^ |
        Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

      I am confused, are you implying that I am claiming the opposite?

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -51 Vote: I do not like it

Ban on posting for X days for contribution hitting a negative threshold seems appropriate. With X increasing as contribution drops more. E.g. 1 day ban for hitting -8 contribution; 7 day for -16; 30 day for -32; 365 for -64.

Team Botswana took it over the edge for me personally. It's a country with students who also want to study computer science and be good at it.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +21 Vote: I do not like it

Do you really think that his rating portrays the idea that Africans are stupid?

I don't think he means to be racist. Maybe to be annoying, but probably not to show Botswana in a bad light. Instead of "using poor English" he probably just mashes his keyboard in the general direction of the words in a coherent sentence.

On the other hand, I doubt there would be so much attention given to Botswana on Codeforces were it not for Sparky_Master_WCH1226. Maybe when they actually have an IOI team, the whole community will cheer them on!

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +20 Vote: I do not like it

You're just jealous Botswana has a GM and your country doesn't have one. Instead of being jealous, you should support Botswana.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +30 Vote: I do not like it

It would be great to be able to have a feature to block specific users such that their posts and comments are hidden. I don't know what to do about replies to their comments though.

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    3 years ago, # ^ |
      Vote: I like it +3 Vote: I do not like it

    I would hide the replies too — who's gonna write a valuable essay in response to a troll comment?

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3 years ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +30 Vote: I do not like it

without these trolls I wouldn't even know anything about Botswana. But thanks to them, I'm great fan of this country. Just smile and support Botswana! Pula! P.S. sorry for poor English.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -61 Vote: I do not like it

Sparky_Master_WCH1226 i fink u shoudl shrare ur opionins

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3 years ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it

they are Chinese instead of Botswanian.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -22 Vote: I do not like it

Just eat a banana and read some rap, bro.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +1 Vote: I do not like it

cope

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +15 Vote: I do not like it

There's quite a lot of casual racism on codeforces. However, I don't think this case, in particular, has any malicious intent behind it. The guy has ugandan knuckles as his pfp, what do you expect?

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +6 Vote: I do not like it

There is racism towards Moldova too

snowman can confirm.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -18 Vote: I do not like it

Every 60 seconds in Botswana, a minute passes away guys! However, if we work together we can stop this. To contribute upvote this comment and all comments of Sparky_Master_WCH1226.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it +6 Vote: I do not like it

There is more ratism than racism.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it 0 Vote: I do not like it

It seems that someone was misusing this account — probably stolen the password. You see that his behavior took a really dramatic change before and after posting that huge comment with hashtags. No sane person will do this, let alone a GM who knows pretty well how things work around here.

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3 years ago, # |
  Vote: I like it -10 Vote: I do not like it

Deeth to Boziwana ------ by an angry Ugandarian jullous aobut Boziwana's achivement (cmplx-xyttmt)

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3 years ago, # |
← Rev. 2   Vote: I like it -115 Vote: I do not like it

I know the owner of Sparky_Master_WCH1226 in real life. He is in the same school as me.

As far as I know, he always make troll blog posts to farm downvotes then delete their blog later. But still, his main goal for his account is to get to LGM. He does not even care about his contribution.

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