Paul Cross is a prolific and outspoken commenter on social media in Bass Coast.
The Post was curious to know what drives this keyboard warrior.
The Post was curious to know what drives this keyboard warrior.
Paul Cross: "You never change people’s minds. There's alwaysstupid people out there."
Bass Coast Post: Paul, you've agreed to meet the Post. I’d have to say most of the Post readers and writers are not on your side of the political divide. Initially you had some reservations.
Paul Cross: Well, I really didn't know who you were, and then I asked around and people knew you, and I thought, well, I've got nothing to hide. I'm retired. I answer to no one, other than my wife, obviously, and I have strong opinions, probably because I'm an old guy who’s grumpy. Well not that grumpy, really. I love making jokes and the rest of it, being English. But yeah, I thought, why not.
Post: Have you always been grumpy?
Paul Cross: Well, I really didn't know who you were, and then I asked around and people knew you, and I thought, well, I've got nothing to hide. I'm retired. I answer to no one, other than my wife, obviously, and I have strong opinions, probably because I'm an old guy who’s grumpy. Well not that grumpy, really. I love making jokes and the rest of it, being English. But yeah, I thought, why not.
Post: Have you always been grumpy?
Paul: No, not at all. I was known as the clown of the class and in the family I was known as a clown, always making jokes. But look, I think most men, because of the chemistry in elder men, tend to become more grumpy naturally with the lowering of testosterone. It’s a natural situation.
There's a group of guys that I hang out with once a month. We get together and we talk about politics and try to change the world, which we can't really do.
Post: Are they all right wing conservative or have you got any lefties?
Paul: Oh no, lefties wouldn't stand a chance. They'd be most welcome but they wouldn't come back.
Post: Do your friends ever argue about politics amongst themselves? Do you have different views or you agree on everything?
Paul: We tend to agree. Some of them don't like Trump, others do, and we talk about that, but we don't argue about it within ourselves. Sometimes it can be a little bit boring, sometimes you want to have a bit of a mix.
Post: So you might actually welcome a few greenie lefties in there?
Paul: I very much doubt it. The Greens are no longer who they used to be. They liked to care for the environment, now they want to destroy it with wind farms and solar farms regardless of the cost. They’ve become an extremist cult and radicalised, supporting Hamas and terrorists, anti-semites. They’re the new Nazis.
Post: Do you think your views are mainstream or do you think they're on the fringe?
Paul: I see myself as a quiet Australian. Talking to so many people my age, I think they're pretty mainstream.
Post: Have you belonged to a political party?
Paul: For a short time, I did belong to the Liberal Party.
Post: Did you leave over a difference of opinion?
Paul: They were, at that stage, against gay marriage and there is gaiety in my family. Funnily enough, it was the Liberals who brought in gay marriage.
I thought it was quite ironic that Penny Wong was against it, but she has to toe the party line, of course. Liberals don't. They can cross the floor, and that's why I like the Liberals, because they're more democratic than Labor.
Post: What does the term woke mean to you?
Paul: It’s a very old Jamaican work that recently came back into fashion but it quickly got turned around as a derogatory meaning. It highlights weakness, being a victim, wanting to be offended. It’s a byproduct of the ridiculous political correctness and what gets me so many people follow it, mainly women and adolescent girls. Some men, of course, but they’re probably green.
Post: Do you believe there's a free speech crisis? Have you ever been censored?
Paul: Years ago, I've been put in Facebook jail, but Facebook doesn't do that any more, which is good. On a number of times, yeah, I have, maybe for a month, but then you just create a pseudonym, and then out you go again.
Inverloch Community Voice warned me a few times and many of my posts don’t get an airing. They are pretty tough on community standards.
Post: You're very outspoken online. Are you the same in person? That’s probably one for me to answer. You’re obviously less abusive in person.
Paul: Because you're a nice lady, why would I be abusive to you?
Post: But if someone was sitting here that you were disagreeing with, would you be?
Paul: I wouldn't be abusive to them. It depends what you say. I don't swear at people, you know, I use sarcasm a lot. And I like to play with words that don't directly mean something, but you can read something into it. I enjoy writing.
Post: Do you think the online dialogue is real life or is it theatre to you?
Paul: It is theatre to me, yes, but I do get quite pissed off with ignorant comments that have not been thought out, have not been researched and it's just off the top of the head. Whenever I want to make a point, I try not to just use my opinion, I always put in citations. This is what I'm saying and this is why I'm saying it. You can then read that. I never go to any right-wing websites to look for something that is going to agree with my opinion. I always go to middle-of-the-road ones. I use the ABC a lot, I use The Guardian, I use NASA.
Post: So if you think of it as theatre, you clearly enjoy it?
Paul: I do enjoy it. Because I'm retired, I love getting online and seeing some of the comments, how ridiculous they are, in my opinion. And they’re usually left-wing comments. I think “Oh you beauty, here we go!” It's rather like people enjoy playing Suduko. I like Facebook. It's my version of Suduko, or doing a jigsaw puzzle if you like. I like to keep my brain active and Facebook commenting ensures I research a lot, which I love. It’s like playing chess, always know the opposition’s move before making your own, or never ask a question unless you already know the answer.
Post: Have you regretted anything you've posted?
Paul: No.
Post: Have you ever agreed with anyone who's rebutted something that you've said?
Paul: It rarely happens. That's the arrogance coming out of me, of course. If they've quoted something then I go and research it and I think oh, they’re right, then I'll come back and apologise to them and say “You're right, my apologies”.
I never make a comment unless I check my facts first, never. But people don't check facts, they just go bang. And I hate to say it, and your listeners or readers are probably thinking I'm such a sexist misogynist, but women are shocking, they don't think about things, they just go wham, out there. And then I start up. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.
There's a group of guys that I hang out with once a month. We get together and we talk about politics and try to change the world, which we can't really do.
Post: Are they all right wing conservative or have you got any lefties?
Paul: Oh no, lefties wouldn't stand a chance. They'd be most welcome but they wouldn't come back.
Post: Do your friends ever argue about politics amongst themselves? Do you have different views or you agree on everything?
Paul: We tend to agree. Some of them don't like Trump, others do, and we talk about that, but we don't argue about it within ourselves. Sometimes it can be a little bit boring, sometimes you want to have a bit of a mix.
Post: So you might actually welcome a few greenie lefties in there?
Paul: I very much doubt it. The Greens are no longer who they used to be. They liked to care for the environment, now they want to destroy it with wind farms and solar farms regardless of the cost. They’ve become an extremist cult and radicalised, supporting Hamas and terrorists, anti-semites. They’re the new Nazis.
Post: Do you think your views are mainstream or do you think they're on the fringe?
Paul: I see myself as a quiet Australian. Talking to so many people my age, I think they're pretty mainstream.
Post: Have you belonged to a political party?
Paul: For a short time, I did belong to the Liberal Party.
Post: Did you leave over a difference of opinion?
Paul: They were, at that stage, against gay marriage and there is gaiety in my family. Funnily enough, it was the Liberals who brought in gay marriage.
I thought it was quite ironic that Penny Wong was against it, but she has to toe the party line, of course. Liberals don't. They can cross the floor, and that's why I like the Liberals, because they're more democratic than Labor.
Post: What does the term woke mean to you?
Paul: It’s a very old Jamaican work that recently came back into fashion but it quickly got turned around as a derogatory meaning. It highlights weakness, being a victim, wanting to be offended. It’s a byproduct of the ridiculous political correctness and what gets me so many people follow it, mainly women and adolescent girls. Some men, of course, but they’re probably green.
Post: Do you believe there's a free speech crisis? Have you ever been censored?
Paul: Years ago, I've been put in Facebook jail, but Facebook doesn't do that any more, which is good. On a number of times, yeah, I have, maybe for a month, but then you just create a pseudonym, and then out you go again.
Inverloch Community Voice warned me a few times and many of my posts don’t get an airing. They are pretty tough on community standards.
Post: You're very outspoken online. Are you the same in person? That’s probably one for me to answer. You’re obviously less abusive in person.
Paul: Because you're a nice lady, why would I be abusive to you?
Post: But if someone was sitting here that you were disagreeing with, would you be?
Paul: I wouldn't be abusive to them. It depends what you say. I don't swear at people, you know, I use sarcasm a lot. And I like to play with words that don't directly mean something, but you can read something into it. I enjoy writing.
Post: Do you think the online dialogue is real life or is it theatre to you?
Paul: It is theatre to me, yes, but I do get quite pissed off with ignorant comments that have not been thought out, have not been researched and it's just off the top of the head. Whenever I want to make a point, I try not to just use my opinion, I always put in citations. This is what I'm saying and this is why I'm saying it. You can then read that. I never go to any right-wing websites to look for something that is going to agree with my opinion. I always go to middle-of-the-road ones. I use the ABC a lot, I use The Guardian, I use NASA.
Post: So if you think of it as theatre, you clearly enjoy it?
Paul: I do enjoy it. Because I'm retired, I love getting online and seeing some of the comments, how ridiculous they are, in my opinion. And they’re usually left-wing comments. I think “Oh you beauty, here we go!” It's rather like people enjoy playing Suduko. I like Facebook. It's my version of Suduko, or doing a jigsaw puzzle if you like. I like to keep my brain active and Facebook commenting ensures I research a lot, which I love. It’s like playing chess, always know the opposition’s move before making your own, or never ask a question unless you already know the answer.
Post: Have you regretted anything you've posted?
Paul: No.
Post: Have you ever agreed with anyone who's rebutted something that you've said?
Paul: It rarely happens. That's the arrogance coming out of me, of course. If they've quoted something then I go and research it and I think oh, they’re right, then I'll come back and apologise to them and say “You're right, my apologies”.
I never make a comment unless I check my facts first, never. But people don't check facts, they just go bang. And I hate to say it, and your listeners or readers are probably thinking I'm such a sexist misogynist, but women are shocking, they don't think about things, they just go wham, out there. And then I start up. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.
Post: Is that what you enjoy most about it, causing that reaction? Triggering people?
Paul: If they get triggered, that’s their problem. They are reverting to ‘woke’. I would sooner have an intelligent rebuttal.
Post: When you post, are you trying to change minds?
Paul: No, no, no, you never change people’s minds. There's always stupid people out there. They'll always be stupid, you know.
Post: Do you ever feel misunderstood?
Paul: I don't know. I don't really care, to be honest, whether I'm misunderstood. I don't really care because I'm quite comfortable in my own skin.
But let me ask you this. Who were you expecting to talk to? You know, have I disappointed you?
Post: No. I didn't think you would be as aggressive in real life as you are online and clearly you're not.
Paul: Do you think I'm aggressive?
Post: Online, yes. Oh yes.
Paul: I don't feel I'm aggressive online. I'm very much tongue-in-cheek. I love using satire. And I very rarely use the laughing emoji to say, hey, I'm just having a joke.
If I read something that is total misinformation, that does get me angry and I do tend to jump on the offender.
As you know I recently commented on the Bass Coast Post and two chaps on there that waffled on about the Wonthaggi windmills, they were more interested in their own voice than facts. I challenged them and they thought I was aggressive. Rather than converse with me they got their virtual security blanket and hid under the bedclothes. Again, woke.
Post: I did notice your own Facebook site was private?
Paul: Only because I've had a couple of threats and so I made it private. It just highlights how ignorant people can be, cancel culture rearing its ugly head. It doesn't bother me, you know, it's all talk.
This is an abridged transcript of an interview with Paul Cross.
Paul: If they get triggered, that’s their problem. They are reverting to ‘woke’. I would sooner have an intelligent rebuttal.
Post: When you post, are you trying to change minds?
Paul: No, no, no, you never change people’s minds. There's always stupid people out there. They'll always be stupid, you know.
Post: Do you ever feel misunderstood?
Paul: I don't know. I don't really care, to be honest, whether I'm misunderstood. I don't really care because I'm quite comfortable in my own skin.
But let me ask you this. Who were you expecting to talk to? You know, have I disappointed you?
Post: No. I didn't think you would be as aggressive in real life as you are online and clearly you're not.
Paul: Do you think I'm aggressive?
Post: Online, yes. Oh yes.
Paul: I don't feel I'm aggressive online. I'm very much tongue-in-cheek. I love using satire. And I very rarely use the laughing emoji to say, hey, I'm just having a joke.
If I read something that is total misinformation, that does get me angry and I do tend to jump on the offender.
As you know I recently commented on the Bass Coast Post and two chaps on there that waffled on about the Wonthaggi windmills, they were more interested in their own voice than facts. I challenged them and they thought I was aggressive. Rather than converse with me they got their virtual security blanket and hid under the bedclothes. Again, woke.
Post: I did notice your own Facebook site was private?
Paul: Only because I've had a couple of threats and so I made it private. It just highlights how ignorant people can be, cancel culture rearing its ugly head. It doesn't bother me, you know, it's all talk.
This is an abridged transcript of an interview with Paul Cross.