Flame

Flaming is verbal hostility over the Internet, malicious or occasionally otherwise. Acts of flaming include personal insults, hateful remarks (e.g. racial slurs), and any other use of language designed to provoke the target.

=Flamers=

Flamers are people who are known for flaming others. Flamers may be part of a tight-knit group that reacts hostilely to newbies as a form of hazing or purposeful intimidation to get them to leave, or disliked outcasts that occasionally troll and snipe other users.

In fandom, flamers tend to be fans who feel so strongly about a particular opinion (such as who should be 'shipped with whom) that they will defend their opinion to the death, no matter who they have to insult.

Flamers often participate in Flame Wars.

=Flames in Fanfiction=

Often on the Pit, summaries or author's notes will include phrases along the line of "No flames please!" or "Flames will be used for s'mores."

Generally this is to show that the writer would prefer compliments or concrit. However, some more sensitive fanwriters will construe anything that is not strictly praise to be a flame.

=Flaming on the Board=

Flaming is generally disapproved of on the PPC Board; however, occasionally, in the case of a troll, some Boarders cannot resist giving in, as snarky wit is the key trait in many an experienced flamer, and the Boarders are anything if not snarky or witty. This behavior is known as troll-baiting or "feeding the troll" because in most cases it only encourages the troll to continue trolling.

Flaming badfic authors is strongly discouraged. Although we all slip occasionally, on the whole, the PPC recognizes the difference between hating a written work and hating its author. If you must flame, please do NOT do it in the name of the PPC.

=Flame Wars=

Flame Wars are examples of large-scale flaming between two opposing sides. It may be a (mostly) playful battle between flamers, or it might be complete all out warfare with trolls.

Flame wars are often shaped by the strongest personalities taking part, and a once amusing flame war can quickly turn offensive and personal to all involved if this precarious balance is changed.

Generally speaking, it is impossible to win a Flame War, since neither side is prepared to hear the other's point of view, let alone give up on their own. However, an interpretation of Godwin's Law suggests that any debate on the internet is officially over as soon as somebody invokes Hitler or the Nazis, with the side doing the invoking automatically losing.

=In the PPC=

Flames, usually those sent to the PPC (either its Agents or the Organisation itself), appear in narrative as literal flames, and have on occasion been used as an assassination method for a Sue. Agents are required to handle them with the same fireproof equipment provided for the care of Mini-Balrogs, i.e. oven mitts and a flame-retardant apron. Some of these flames, when used, scream out whatever the flamer said. This has led to some cognitive dissonance, especially when an Agent was throwing flames unrelated to the PPC.

=Literal Flames=

Fire. Combustion. A chemical reaction consuming oxygen and producing light and heat.

See Flamethrower or DOGA.