Trolling--What''s the Deal?

[Haven]

I''ve read a couple threads that referenced trolls--people who seem to be online instigators of some sort who go into webforums, post provocative topics, and then never return.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? Why does one troll? I don''t mean to be obtuse, but I simply don''t understand it. Is there some pleasure to be had in trolling? Does a troll later return to read his post and take great pleasure in reading the debate that''s ensued, hunched over at his keyboard cackling? The concept of trolling really baffles me--can anyone shed some light?

 

[diamondfan]

Haven, I think some people just like to stir the soup. I would guess if they are truly trolls, they might be bored or else they thrive on drama. I am less good at picking them out. I tend to give most people the benefit of the doubt, but clearly there are trolls here. I am sure others will weigh in, but this is my feeling on the subject. One never knows what goes on in the minds of the others...but that is what is my supposition...

 

[somethingshiny]

Date: 10/25/2007 11:26:02 PM
Author:Haven
I''ve read a couple threads that referenced trolls--people who seem to be online instigators of some sort who go into webforums, post provocative topics, and then never return.


WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? Why does one troll? I don''t mean to be obtuse, but I simply don''t understand it. Is there some pleasure to be had in trolling? Does a troll later return to read his post and take great pleasure in reading the debate that''s ensued, hunched over at his keyboard cackling? The concept of trolling really baffles me--can anyone shed some light?

Yes, Haven, But, he''s cackling MANIACALLY!!

I would imagine that he would return to see what he had stirred up. Probably big drama-queens/kings doing it.

OHHH! Maybe they want to stir up arguments for the soaps they''re writing (while cackling maniacally!)

I wish there was a "Mwahaha" emotie.

 

[Kaleigh]

Most times they do it with their first post. Or have a few posts under their belt... Drop a stink bomb and wait for a reaction. I can spot a troll easily now, but that has taken some time. I do try to give the benefit of the doubt, but some are so obvious.... Their deal, bored perhaps?? I don't give them a thought, would rather help others that need it.

 

[strmrdr]

hey! trolling can be fun I troll Garry every once in the while. *grin*

 

[door knob solitaire]

I remember a post that may fall under the category...but if anything it was really odd.

He wrote for advice on buying a ring...couldn''t believe he would have to spend $1200 or something in that price range...and then all of a sudden he posted he had made a decision about buying a Tiffany 3+ carat that was $45,000.

Do I have the numbers wrong...old timers? It was then that I learned what trolling was. I picture them with tiny little stubby legs with no knees...and itty bitty fingers...usually only 3...and one bright orange fur tuff that sticks straight up in the air. Really big ears...and a round little belly. Just like a little troll doll. I don''t think I am far off. If I looked like that...I would be trolling too!

DKS

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 10/25/2007 11:57:22 PM
Author: door knob solitaire
I remember a post that may fall under the category...but if anything it was really odd.

He wrote for advice on buying a ring...couldn''t believe he would have to spend $1200 or something in that price range...and then all of a sudden he posted he had made a decision about buying a Tiffany 3+ carat that was $45,000.

Do I have the numbers wrong...old timers? It was then that I learned what trolling was. I picture them with tiny little stubby legs with no knees...and itty bitty fingers...usually only 3...and one bright orange fur tuff that sticks straight up in the air. Really big ears...and a round little belly. Just like a little troll doll. I don''t think I am far off. If I looked like that...I would be trolling too!

DKS

So odd, and remember that well. He had us going in circles.

I''ll leave it at that....

 

[sera]

Date: 10/25/2007 11:29:53 PM
Author: diamondfan
Haven, I think some people just like to stir the soup. I would guess if they are truly trolls, they might be bored or else they thrive on drama. I am less good at picking them out. I tend to give most people the benefit of the doubt, but clearly there are trolls here. I am sure others will weigh in, but this is my feeling on the subject. One never knows what goes on in the minds of the others...but that is what is my supposition...

Just listen for the click clack click clack of their hooves echoing from under the bridge.

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/26/2007 12:09:02 AM
Author: sera
Just listen for the click clack click clack of their hooves echoing from under the bridge.

That might have been my rock as I made another fishhook :}
3 days under a bridge is fun :}

 

[ccuheartnurse]

Not sure what the purpose would be, probably just useless people in the 1st place. Those kinds of posts are, maybe not entirely, thought out, but thought out enough to see what kind of negative reaction would happen. So...pretty much the same as medidated. I remember that guy too.

Judy

 

[anchor31]

We had one in the LIW section back when I was a LIW... She was there for no other purpose than to tell us we were acting like dumb damsels in distress and handing over all power over our lives to our man...

She had the nerve to say that to me once and boy did I set her straight...

She ended up being thrown out after accusing a fellow LIW''s BF of statutory rape when they started dating because of the age difference.

Some of you may also remember the guy who had spent 8k on a ring and then came back saying that diamonds are useless and provided no pleasure and we had no lives because we love them...

As for the purpose... I don''t know. Some people just like to stir up trouble or get attention. I usually just shrug and move on.

 

[mela lu]

oh dear~! I didnt'' know that TROLLS were pot-stirrers! I think I may have referred to myself as a troll once, but not for stirring the pot - more for just kinda popping in and out of threads (at random).

OOPS! I was mistaken!

I am not a troll then. HOORAY!

 

[mimzy]

certainly there are people out there who get a kick out of causing online drama, but there is also the chance that someone new might not understand the people/dynamics of the forums and just don''t take the time to find out. they also could just maybe lack certain social skills, or maybe they just post a thoughtless post.

like the most recent post, i doubt he was trying to ''start something''. he was probably just genuinely curious, didn''t state it in the best way, and i bet that if he knew he was going to get the responses he did he wouldn''t have post it in the first place. that probably happens a lot.... someone posts something pretty innocently, gets a crazy reaction, and then feel uncomfortable about it and don''t want to post again, even in response. remember the guy who posted about how his girlfriend wanted him to redo the proposal in the proposal section? it got a lot of responses, most of them with a negative message and rather than getting defensive to us he just bolted instead. or maybe he just wanted to see what people thought, but never intended to get into a discussion about it. who knows. but i don''t think all posts that cause a stir are done mean-spiritedly.

also correct me if i''m wrong, but i think trolling is anyone who posts only once or twice and then disappears? not just those who cause trouble? shrug.

 

[luckystar112]

I remember reading the whole entire "good, bad, and the ugly" thread, and there was a troll in the beginning of that one. Some girl who had the nerve to post a regular poster''s ring on that thread. I was BLOWN AWAY.

 

[AGBF]

Haven,


Is there no one in your family who enjoys making a political comment in a room full of relatives whom he knows hold that view in the deepest aversion and then sitting back with a hostile, little grin to watch the fireworks?

The dynamic here is the same. The troll wants to watch a fight and, as we know, people have enjoyed watching fights of various kinds for thousands of years.


Deborah

 

[partgypsy]

I think the majority of trolls only know one way of interacting with people, and that is to be provocative and contrary, poke people in their soft spot, dearly held beliefs, etc. They love to get a reaction. As AGBF said, I''m sure you know some people like that in person, don''t you? And it seems like the anonymous nature of web forums enboldens some to really bad degrees. This forum is actually quite civil, which is (one of) reasons I like it so.
I have often asked the question Haven asks about people who create computer viruses to infect other people''s computers. How is that fun?

However there are other postings that maybe other people labelled as trolls and I have on the other hand thought they were simply misguided, poorly expressed, and also some who I thought, hmm mental illness - and I don''t mean it in a derogatory way- just a clinical way.

 

[Steel]

Wow, Trolling is a recognised phenomenon!
Type troll into wikipedia

.

I felt a bit

when I saw the title, as I do not post often, just when I feel I have something to add or ask and often worry that I am superfluous to the conversation. So caution should be exercised when you think there is a troll clip clopping around? Otherwise GENUINE infrequent posters might not bother?

Hmmmm - Is this a controversial comment? Are my hooves showing?

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Date: 10/25/2007 11:54:51 PM
Author: strmrdr
hey! trolling can be fun I troll Garry every once in the while. *grin*

I almost pee''d when i read this, I have followed many a saga between you 2.

 

[zoebartlett]

I have yet to pick out a troll here. I don''t understand why someone would do it -- it seems like a waste of time. Why bother?

 

[phoenixgirl]

I agree that they''re the kind of people who like to stir up trouble. And they probably lack the confidence to do so in person and so hide behind the computer screen.

This reminds of this football player at my school''s pep rally today (sigh . . . so loud and full of unfettered pubescence). He was dressed up kind of like Steve Erkel (not sure why, pretending he was really retarded . . . excuse the term but I don''t know how else to describe it), wearing these stupid glasses. I wear glasses to work, so he came up to me and asked me if I liked his outfit. I said yes in a rather bored way, and then he pointed to my glasses and his glasses and asked, "Is my glasses as good as yours?" I answered even more disinterestedly, "Is your glasses what?" Then he lost interest in trying to make me feel stupid and went away. It''s that same impulse . . . notice me, ha ha ha, I was mean to you, ha ha ha, notice me some more . . .

 

[diamondfan]

Date: 10/26/2007 4:36:44 PM
Author: zoebartlett
I have yet to pick out a troll here. I don''t understand why someone would do it -- it seems like a waste of time. Why bother?

Ah, the mystery age old question. I guess I would just say that some people like being obnoxious or at the center of a firestorm. Maybe they are bored? I would guess that in real life as on the web they incite this reaction. Most people are not interested in drama, and certainly some posters, because of contraints in typed communication, come off wrong. But there are absolutely those people out there who like to just throw a grenade and watch the fur fly. It is tough to know someone''s motives if you are not that type of person, but I have known a few in my day. I also think there are people here who misrepresent themselves, which also seems so silly and sad to me. I am here because I was looking for upgrade ideas and sort of fell in love with the community and many of the people who post here, so I have stayed. Some people come on, and for whatever reason, are not truthful. To me, a total waste of time and space, but, to those people, I assume there is an underlying issue that compels them. I also thought a troll was someone who pretended to be a consumer or random person but really had a connection to some retailer, but not sure if that is correct.

 

[Sparkster]

I gotta admit, I had no idea what ''trolling'' was when I read the subject heading. Instead, I had visions of little ugly creatures sitting under bridges waiting for the goat to pass (bed time story I was told when I was a child)

 

[Haven]

Date: 10/28/2007 5:12:38 PM
Author: Sparkster
I gotta admit, I had no idea what ''trolling'' was when I read the subject heading. Instead, I had visions of little ugly creatures sitting under bridges waiting for the goat to pass (bed time story I was told when I was a child)

Sparkster--I just learned about trolling from another thread, which is why I had the question in the first place.

I suppose I understand a bit more now--trolls are just looking to stir up some controversy--but seriously, controversy via the Internet? How ridiculous. And yes, I understand that there are people out there who like to get attention and push others'' buttons (I teach high school, for crying out loud!) It just seems so, I don''t know, unfulfilling to cause controversy on a WEB FORUM! Does that mean they hit the refresh button repeatedly hoping for someone to take the bait? How very sad. (Visual image: little troll hunched over his laptop with left index finger poised on refresh button, eyes wide open eagerly awaiting a change in the "number of responses" counter.) Oy.