Chris Allen is trying to understand why it is so easy for people to spin into madness online, and suggests that people are involved in ad hominem stereotyping -- extrapolation, as he calls it -- and that this leads them astray: "I doubt if explaining this theory to someone who writes a hostile message is useful -- they will take it as yet another attack, which will likely contribute to another cycle of flamage. [...] Understanding this lets me add another widget to my social software toolbox: when a group process results in a hostile message, try to determine if the author is actually reacting to what you said or if their hostility is based on extrapolating to "obvious" generalities. This may not allow you to directly address the hostility, but it may help you better understand it and thus not contribute to the cycle of flames." Hear, hear.