Why do folks play into the whole "troll" game?
Asked by
Blondesjon (
34000
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February 7th, 2009
from iPhone
I see normally placid, well spoken people become incendiary when poked by a troll. I know how difficult it is to keep your tounge when you feel you are being attacked but drawing you out like that is the whole purpose of trolling.
It’s simple. Let them rant and rave and push buttons. Just ignore it. They want you to come at them. If you take away their fun by treating them as non-existent you are truly hitting them where it hurts.
as an outspoken proponent of free speech i say let them rant…as a libertarian I say this isn’t my website :)
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17 Answers
didn’t we just have a troll thread?
but it’s so fun when the troll doesn’t realize he’s being trolled :) GRIN
Just your everyday suppressed rage leaking out I suppose.
It is often difficult to determine if someone is a troll at first. They’re tricky like that! Once I know, I’m out and will not engage them again.
Trolling trolls who are trolling you while trolling others who are trolling is fun.
I’ve been sucked in before. Usually I know better, though.
Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t.
Well, there are a sufficient number of truly stupid people out there that you can’t simply assume that someone with a ridiculous opinion is a troll. Of course, there is still no real point continuing an argument, but its just painful on an instinctive level to allow ridiculousness to survive uncontested.
@Jayne…How well does that argument hold up when someone, who shares your opinion, decides to label you as ridiculous?
@Blondesjon: I think losing your temper is often a waste. However, when we take a thread, hijacked by a troll, and turn it into a humorous exchange (perhaps not for the troll) it at least tempers some of the anger, foul language and insults being tossed about by the troll.
@Jayne I don’t think someone lacking in intelligence even resembles a troll. Someone calling you insulting names, spewing vulgarities and wishing your family an ugly death…that seems troll-like. For example, Blonesjon likes to stir the waters, but he’s never insulting nor does he raise ire just because he’s bored. But we’ve had some visitors who answer Q’s with obscene answers and insults for no good reason. Big difference. It’s not simply a matter of differing opinions.
Ah, I suppose we differ in our definition of trolls. I have always interpreted the term to refer to those who put forth opinions that they don’t actually support, just to trick people into jumping on them in defense of their deeply held beliefs. For instance, a troll might write that Obama is a terrorist and should be held at Gitmo, even if he has no real opinions on the matter. That way the troll can laugh at all of the people he so cleverly deceived- Oh, isn’t he witty. Of course, some people are assuredly stupid enough or bigoted enough to actually believe that, hence the ambiguity.
People who insult and swear at people are generally, I think, sincere, they just don’t know how to properly express themselves, and they have easily wounded egos and so get mad without provocation. Naturally, there are exceptions, and I may have simply misinterpreted the term.
@Jayne : Oh no, I think you make a very valid point. There are definitely those who do exactly what you described. I guess, as in most scenarios…there are multiple personality disorders among trolls! :) Not all sociopaths look the same.
Well of course there is a troll hierarchy :)
I guess trolls take positions they don’t actually agree with and that they know people will take offense to. Doesn’t that mean they have to be familiar with the arguments in order to play the role of troll? What I’m wondering is how they can manage to play the role so well. Agent provocateur.
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