An analogy of online disputes, using terms from my perspective in the field of electricity.

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The negative charge of an electron is equal in strength to the positive charge of the proton, as a result both molecules and atoms that carry the same number of protons and electrons are electrically neutral.

When you don't have balance, as in an excess or deficit of electrons, we call
these molecules ions. Most of the atoms that we deal with on Earth are electrically neutral.

I'll use water as an example as to how rare ions are. In a bottle of water at room temperature, you will only have one molecule out of 10 million or so, that is ionized or(without balance).

When an item has an overabundance of electrons, it is Negatively Charged
A deficit of electrons, will result in a Positively Charged item.

When you rub a glass with a piece of a magician's silk, you "rub off the electrons onto the glass. If you rub amber or hard rubber with that very same silk, you have now developed a negative charge.

Incidentally charging objects by rubbing them together is known as the
Triboelectric Effect, from the Greek word for rubbing. The friction
between the two parties/internet postings is producing a charge or so it
may seem, but it turns out that some of those materials are greedily attracting
a charge, while other materials cannot wait to lose it, thereby obtaining a charge.

Are you following this logic, as it relates to our discussions here folks?
Scientific Analogies and Cryptic Messages are a fun diversion throughout my day.

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Congratulations my fellow intellectuals, you've made it back,
Magicians, mentalists, buskers, jugglers, and sword swallowers,
Please try to stay with me.....I'm going somewhere with this.

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Metallic objects have mostly free wheeling electrons that have escaped from their atoms. They are more or less wandering around aimlessly between the atoms of said metal,
kind of likeMetallica Groupies.

These electrons or wandering lost groupies are now susceptible to any external charge or in our case discussion, either positive or negative. When such a charge is applied, the wandering electrons move either toward or away from it.

Congratulations, We have just created an Electrical Current or flow of discussion,
such as the ones found in many forums on the internet.

These once lost materials are now conductors, for they are easily conducting the movement of charged particles electrons/discussions(in our case), whether constructive or destructive in nature.

Inicidentally Ions are very capable of creating electrical currents, but not in solids.
A topic for another day, most certainly.

Think of our neutral non-posting members here as Free Electronsready to play,
ready to move, ready to respond to positive or negative charges.

It's time to set this bird down on the runway.

In nonconductors, there's very little action of this sort; all of the electrons are fixed in their own way. That doesn't mean however, that we cannot have a little bit of fun with nonconductors. They're not totally unopinionated metal head molecules with loads of free electrons!

You can still have fun at their expense with your typical garden variety, rubber hose, or Qualltex balloon!

Important to note for any labwork;
Hot Air is not a conductor. In fact it's a pretty darn good insulator.
~Devious
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Now that you have been certified, please go back to the top and re-read it.

Please stay tuned for our next programme entitled,
Invisible Induction

Blowhard idiots like Jo Jo sometimes stumble across a Tritium atom in a glass of water and think they have discovered cold fusion.

Ringmaster,
You are Charged(pun intended)with having an overabundance of electrons,
according to my molecular electrical field allegory.

Just call me Ion the Terrible..

So many analogies, looks like I'm going to need some Electron Shielding

That post was so long, you must have an unstable electron in your outer shell!
(No harm is meant by my jest of course)