Good golly Ms Molly got another GOLD one to share from Reddit LOL
All of the above.
If I were to do any of these things in any other competitive setting, I would be rightly regarded as an asshole. There are elements of them that are acceptable - like pregame taunting at a MMA fight - but fundamentally these things convey a lack of respect for your opponent and the time both of you are putting into the game. You can say that the mind games are a part of the larger game, but I’d be irritated if someone teabagged empty air in real life after a match. They’re free to do it, but they’re still an asshole.
If your goal is levity or to bring more fun to the game, why not just message the opponent after and congratulate them for playing well, or constructively say you enjoyed a part of the fight? Why would you choose a method that makes it completely impossible for the opponent to understand your message - I’m teabagging so don’t take this seriously; lighten up! - when you can just tell them what you mean later?
If your goal is to motivate a player to play better, why not do it in a way that builds them as a player rather than just irritating them? Counter their predictable moves in ways that make it clear you’re reading them, for example. Show them this is an opportunity to learn, not just to lose.
If your goal is to demoralize, then fine. You’re “just taking every advantage.” But you’re an asshole. You’re free to choose to be an asshole. Maybe it’s fun for you. But you’re still an asshole in the same way a fighter who rubbed his balls on a picture of your face IRL after a match would also be considered an asshole. Some people say “that’s just the culture,” as if culture is some monolithic unchanging thing. Culture is made up of behaviors. You can change yours.
Any constructive goal you want to complete by being toxic can be achieved through less toxic means. If you choose to be toxic, then you should know you’re doing it because you feel like it, not because it actually uniquely accomplishes any constructive goal. And nobody has any obligation to play with you if they feel they aren’t gaining anything from the experience.
Where to even fucking start...?Question mark?