NationStates Jolt Archive

What is the purpose of trolling (in the internet forum sense of the word)? I have seen plenty of people use this tactic, but it never makes any sense. What is the appeal of trolling? What kind of satisfaction does trolling provide? Why do people troll? Logically speaking, trolling makes you look like a complete idiot, so why would you want to do that? Yet people do.

So, if you are or have ever been a troll or you know one, please enlighten us. What motivates these people?

Look buster, my Uncle Mortie was a troll and I resent your racist remarks.

What is the purpose of trolling (in the internet forum sense of the word)? I have seen plenty of people use this tactic, but it never makes any sense. What is the appeal of trolling? What kind of satisfaction does trolling provide? Why do people troll? Logically speaking, trolling makes you look like a complete idiot, so why would you want to do that? Yet people do.

So, if you are or have ever been a troll or you know one, please enlighten us. What motivates these people?
Like I'd tell you...

Some people walk around with a big red button on their chest marked "Do Not Push." And some people are the type that whenever they see a big red button marked "Do Not Push" have to push it.

So I think it is pretty obvious.

Anyway, imagine how boring the world would be without trollish comments.

A strong majority of my <10 comments on this board have been ridiculing and belittling the mind-numbing stupidity I've seen.

I guess that's trolling.
But I never check the threads after I post.
I only post if the title catches my eye on the front page.

Some people walk around with a big red button on their chest marked "Do Not Push." And some people are the type that whenever they see a big red button marked "Do Not Push" have to push it.

So I think it is pretty obvious.

Anyway, imagine how boring the world would be without trollish comments.

That statement amounts to. "Because they are A__ H___S" (fill in the blanks).


I suppose that makes sense. Even though it simply raises the question...why are some people A__ H__E_?

That statement amounts to. "Because they are A__ H___S" (fill in the blanks).


I suppose that makes sense. Even though it simply raises the question...why are some people A__ H__E_?

Yes which is which? The clown who flies of the handle whenever he sees something that upsets him - though the fact that it is errant nonesense posted on an internet forum is obvious to most people of obvious intelligence. Or the clown who pushes that button?

If people took themselves a little less seriously, then there wouldn't be any trolls, because there would be no-one to troll. Both parties are at fault.

"Because they are All HeroS" (fill in the blanks).

... Even though it simply raises the question...why are some people A__ H__E_?

Why does the sun come up, Highlander? Or are the stars only pinholes in the curtain of night? Who knows?

Yes which is which? The clown who flies of the handle whenever he sees something that upsets him - though the fact that it is errant nonesense posted on an internet forum is obvious to most people of obvious intelligence. Or the clown who pushes that button?

If people took themselves a little less seriously, then there wouldn't be any trolls, because there would be no-one to troll. Both parties are at fault.

Sure, but one party is just being ignorant, the other is being evil. There will always be those who are ignorant, they cant help but be ignorant, thats who they are. The people who take advantage of them, however, can help it, they choose to take advantage of ignorant people, which makes them either evil or A__ H_L__S.

I wish you'd make up your mind how many letters you'll use and which of the letters you'll blank out of the phrase, 'ASS HOLES', already...

I'd tell you all what trolling is, nut youre all stupid bastards and wouldnt understand.


*snicker*

I'd tell you all what trolling is, nut youre all stupid bastards and wouldnt understand.


*snicker*

You wouldn't know what a troll was even if it lived in your butt and shaved your nards daily with a butter knife.

Sure, but one party is just being ignorant, the other is being evil. There will always be those who are ignorant, they cant help but be ignorant, thats who they are. The people who take advantage of them, however, can help it, they choose to take advantage of ignorant people, which makes them either evil or A__ H_L__S.

Or people could be less uptight, and ignore it.

Plus, it's not ignorance with the button people, some of them are very intelligent. It's more a sort of overblown sense of importance/self-righteousness and a lack of sense of humor.

I once sent some guy off just by telling him what he posted "sounded racist." He exploded, and after that it was like there was blood in the water.

So really, it is as much the fault of the oversensitive, who could really should toughen up a little.

It's like nancy reagan said. Just say no.

You wouldn't know what a troll was even if it lived in your butt and shaved your nards daily with a butter knife.


Oh yeah?

Well, yer momma lives under a bridge and eats goats.

So, if you are or have ever been a troll or you know one, please enlighten us. What motivates these people?

Well we can go for the 'proper' dictionary definitions:

Trolling. n : angling by drawing a baited line through the water [syn: troll]
(from http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=trolling)

Or the more fun 'urban' definitions:

Being a prick on the internet because you can. Typically unleashing one or more cynical or sarcastic remarks on an innocent by-stander, because it's the internet and, hey, you can.

Guy: "I just found the coolest ninja pencil in existence."
Other Guy: "I just found the most retarded thread in existence."

To use the internet to start problems, insult, or hurt others. An action that only usually affects the person trolling.
Usually a very bored, lonely person with no friends. Or a punk ass kid.

"My AOL account was shut down because I was trolling in a chatroom."

(from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=trolling)

Finally (phew!) i'd finish by adding that you can 'troll' for anything, so say you wanted a reaction generated amongst [essentially] a group of strangers, be it anger or sympathy, but didn't actually want to take part in debate, then you'd probably be trolling.

Chin chin!

What is the purpose of trolling (in the internet forum sense of the word)? I have seen plenty of people use this tactic, but it never makes any sense. What is the appeal of trolling? What kind of satisfaction does trolling provide? Why do people troll? Logically speaking, trolling makes you look like a complete idiot, so why would you want to do that? Yet people do.

So, if you are or have ever been a troll or you know one, please enlighten us. What motivates these people?"Troll" is, more often than not, just a word people use to describe those who post opinions they don't approve of. I've lost count of the amount of times I've been called a troll in other forums, and I've never posted a message with the sole intention of causing trouble. But some people just don't accept that anyone could disagree with them without being basically dishonest, and that's what the label of 'troll' is intended to convey: "you don't agree with me, therefore you must be a troublemaker".

The possibility that there might be a genuine, honest-to-goodness alternative to their own point of view simply doesn't occur to some people.

In fact, I believe there are actually relatively few real trolls - people who post inflammatory messages purely and simply because they want to wind people up.

For example, if someone goes to a notably liberal political forum and posts a message saying they thought Hitler had the right idea (*), it may be because they want to set the liberals off on one, or it may be because they do genuinely believe what they say. Regardless, they will most likely receive a number of responses accusing them of being a troll. And even if we consider the first possibility, one would have to question why they felt the urge to go and annoy those they perceived as liberals in any case.

But I don't believe in trolls, really. As far as I'm concerned, an inflammatory message can often make for good discussion. And if, as someone on this thread has already said, someone posts a contentious message and then doesn't bother reading replies, well, the matter will either get discussed to death anyway or the thread will die out fairly quickly.

I think what I'm trying to get at is that it's not the original poster that makes a troll, but the way the forum responds to posts. If a forum treats all messages as subjects for discussion, rather than scrutinising each one to try to determine the motive behind it, then deliberate trolling becomes irrelevant.

(*) Exempted under Section 47(b) (Legitimate Examples) of the Invoking Notorious Baddies In Forums Act 1761.

Oh yeah?

Well, yer momma lives under a bridge and eats goats.

goats is tasty.

If I can be serious for a sec... I occasionally get accused of being a troll. My little fetish is to make an absurd comment and see how many people take it seriously. Do you guys consider this trolling? Let me give you an example. This is a post I made a while back where I was specifically accused of trolling. I thought I was just being funny. You decide:

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=415392

There's a fine line between troll and smart-ass. Where do I land on this one?

goats is tasty.

If I can be serious for a sec... I occasionally get accused of being a troll. My little fetish is to make an absurd comment and see how many people take it seriously. Do you guys consider this trolling? Let me give you an example. This is a post I made a while back where I was specifically accused of trolling. I thought I was just being funny. You decide:

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=415392

There's a fine line between troll and smart-ass. Where do I land on this one?

Troll..no.

Smart ass?

Bingo.

I know....It takes one to know one.

I wish you'd make up your mind how many letters you'll use and which of the letters you'll blank out of the phrase, 'ASS HOLES', already...Is THAT what it meant? Guess I'm just not very bright this morning... I saw A__ H_L__S and spent ages trying to work out what the three-word phrase was - you know, with what could only be 'ha', 'he', 'hi' or 'ho' in the middle...

:rolleyes:

Sounds like a Troll to me.