Are "Trolls" Really Bad? ..... (An Open Discussion)

theartichoke

gc, I don't know where you are but I'd hire you in a second. I don't see you as a troll, at all. What's wrong with controversial topics? It's why I'm addicted to the forums. There are people whose response to legitimate questions could be considered callous. I don't consider them trolls though. Perhaps lacking in restraint of pen and tongue, perhaps lacking kindness but trolls...no.
I've only seen a few actual trolls in the sense they're attempting to elicit a negative response with an ultimate goal of angering/hurting others. It doesn't happen often. Funny "trolls"...I love. Topics that allow debate of different ideals...I love those too. People can get fired up about anything if it happens to touch on something they have an emotional connection to. Does that mean.the OP or any responders intentionally created it? No. I've learned more from the people here I initially considered "mean" than anyone else.

BEERRUNNER

Most awesome thread ever.........:bigsmile:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/242872-i-average-a-bottle-of-red-wine-a-night-should-i-cut-back

HEHEHEHEHE

anubis609

EmilyOfTheSun

lolllz. I'm not a troll myself....but I love them! Entertaining. Not all trolls are just hiding behind a computer screen and anonymous screen name either. Some of them are just truly bored, maybe at work or home, and want some easy, free entertainment!
If you love the art of trolling, visit www.damnlol.com one of my favorite sites!

Pollywog39

Speaking of... what ever happened to Gene Wilder. I F'n love that guy.

He's dead you heartless *kitten*!

Has anyone told him that he's dead??

wHEN DID GENE WILDER DIE? It was just his birthday the other day.........

f'ing trolls........starting horrible rumors.

GENE WILDER IS ALIVE, and just turned 75!

penrbrown

Yes. I think they are a bad thing.

1. People who engage in trolling clearly have far too much time on their hands. Instead of inciting wrath online they could be out in the world being productive and/or broadening their minds by ... oh, I don't know, reading a textbook or two.

2. At times trolls get people fighting amongst each other instead of against the troll. This is bad. Not good. Clearly.

3. They lower the level of discourse to a huge degree. Bonding over a fight is all well and good but bonding over whether or not all MI girls are fat? That just seems... unnecessary.

4. They clog up the threads. I'm sorry but I don't find trolls amusing or interesting and I get tired of having to scroll through troll post after troll post to get to some actual conversation.

mbajrami

Girls from MI DON'T smell like ham? But all girls from Wisconsin smell like cheese, right? RIGHT?

I don't know what to believe in anymore. :-(

Liasings

Forum trolls-I can take 'em or leave 'em.
Mythological trolls-help unite the villagers into a cudgel-wielding killing machine; proving that they, like buzzards, possums, and attorneys, do have their place in the ecosystem.

Romans624

I approve this thread, and therefore have decided that you are not a troll.

Carry on.

gchutson

Girls from MI DON'T smell like ham? But all girls from Wisconsin smell like cheese, right? RIGHT?

I don't know what to believe in anymore. :-(

Mmmm. Cheesehead girls rule.

gchutson

I approve this thread, and therefore have decided that you are not a troll.

Carry on.

I feel so validated and iLoved. Sweet.

trich33702

While I don't agree with being mean or disrespectful. I do appreciate someone who has the ability to make people think and look at someone else's point of view. In essence, I am a troll all day long as I try to rattle my students and get them to think and look beyond their small world and open up to others and their ideas. One skill that is often overlooked in today's society is fostering critical thinking. I think everyone should be able to express their ideas (respectfully) and have them pondered, debated, challenged, or confirmed. When all else fails just laugh. Laughter is good for the soul.:laugh:

gchutson

While I don't agree with being mean or disrespectful. I do appreciate someone who has the ability to make people think and look at someone else's point of view. In essence, I am a troll all day long as I try to rattle my students and get them to think and look beyond their small world and open up to others and their ideas. One skill that is often overlooked in today's society is fostering critical thinking. I think everyone should be able to express their ideas (respectfully) and have them pondered, debated, challenged, or confirmed. When all else fails just laugh. Laughter is good for the soul.:laugh:

I think it's safe to say, we all have a little "troll" in us. Mine's name is Herman.

AChrisFox

To me: when a troll posts, it's like a commercial in the middle of your program. May or may not like it but there it is.

When the troll's post gets everyone all fired up, the commercial has turned into a cartoon which may or may not be better than the feature.

I do have to agree that being hard to detect is an important trait. If they are subtle enough, they can make me think. Not easy.

Pollywog39

Girls from MI DON'T smell like ham? But all girls from Wisconsin smell like cheese, right? RIGHT?

I don't know what to believe in anymore. :-(

Mmmm. Cheesehead girls rule.

Packer fans suck.



just sayin'.

jg627

As a karate expert, I believe I am the most qualified to answer this. Sometimes I'll leave a trollish comment instead of saying 'bump' when I want to subscribe to a thread. As aa non-practicing vegan, sometimes it's funny just to keep an argument alive.

foxyforce

thank you, theory b.

I am always called a troll when I am just trying to connect with you guys. I never, ever, put other people down. For pete's sakes. A troll is there to light some fire and see the response and outcry.

gchutson

Girls from MI DON'T smell like ham? But all girls from Wisconsin smell like cheese, right? RIGHT?

I don't know what to believe in anymore. :-(

Mmmm. Cheesehead girls rule.

Packer fans suck.

just sayin'.

Screw all that. I just dig chicks from Wisconsin. Well, one specific chick anyway.

ZoeLifts

Speaking of... what ever happened to Gene Wilder. I F'n love that guy.

He's dead you heartless *kitten*!

I LOVE gene wilder! I was just listening to him on my Little Prince cd at work :bigsmile:

I'd be willing to bet Gene Wilder is a good troll on the forums....

gchutson

thank you, theory b.

I am always called a troll when I am just trying to connect with you guys. I never, ever, put other people down. For pete's sakes. A troll is there to light some fire and see the response and outcry.

Gah. You're such a troll. (Ha.)

carld256

Yes, trolls are inherently bad. Their purpose is to disrupt normal communication, drive people from a forum, and generally create as much havoc, discord, and misery within a community as possible. They have no redeeming features.

gchutson

Speaking of... what ever happened to Gene Wilder. I F'n love that guy.

He's dead you heartless *kitten*!

I LOVE gene wilder! I was just listening to him on my Little Prince cd at work :bigsmile:

I'd be willing to bet Gene Wilder is a good troll on the forums....

Gene Wilder is the stick, by which all trolls are measured.

CherokeeBabe

While I don't agree with being mean or disrespectful. I do appreciate someone who has the ability to make people think and look at someone else's point of view. In essence, I am a troll all day long as I try to rattle my students and get them to think and look beyond their small world and open up to others and their ideas. One skill that is often overlooked in today's society is fostering critical thinking. I think everyone should be able to express their ideas (respectfully) and have them pondered, debated, challenged, or confirmed. When all else fails just laugh. Laughter is good for the soul.:laugh:

I think it's safe to say, we all have a little "troll" in us. Mine's name is Herman.

As long as you don't post any pictures of your 'little Troll Herman', we're safe

SmexAppeal

I'm a girl from MI, but a packers fan at heart. Do I smell like that damn cheese/meat tray at parties??
HELLLLL NOOOOOO!!!!

Love this topic, continue your trolling because I will continue enjoying it!!

gchutson

While I don't agree with being mean or disrespectful. I do appreciate someone who has the ability to make people think and look at someone else's point of view. In essence, I am a troll all day long as I try to rattle my students and get them to think and look beyond their small world and open up to others and their ideas. One skill that is often overlooked in today's society is fostering critical thinking. I think everyone should be able to express their ideas (respectfully) and have them pondered, debated, challenged, or confirmed. When all else fails just laugh. Laughter is good for the soul.:laugh:

I think it's safe to say, we all have a little "troll" in us. Mine's name is Herman.

As long as you don't post any pictures of your 'little Troll Herman', we're safe

No. We call that "evidence."

saragato

Forum trolls are people whose delight and/or purpose is to incite anger or sadness by what they post. The /b/ section of the site 4chan is a perfect example. The members there post racist, sexist, ageist things alongside gore, porn, and generally unpleasant things and laugh about it. And when someone gets even mildly offensive, that person is then targeted whether mildly (as in being harassed for being a baby) or someone hacks into their various accounts, posts stuff like that person's address and phone number for further trolling. All because to them, it is funny to create chaos.

The two definitions given are what people give others when they've never really gone outside the "safe zone" of the internet or are just generally immature. You're not a troll if you disagree with someone and you're not a troll for being random or for having a strange sense of humor/the desire to push the envelope slightly for the sake of humor. You're a troll if you don't give two sh*ts about someone else and making them cry and want to actually commit suicide is so hilarious you spurt Mountain Dew out your nose.

greasygriddle_wechnage

Girls from MI DON'T smell like ham? But all girls from Wisconsin smell like cheese, right? RIGHT?

I don't know what to believe in anymore. :-(

Mmmm. Cheesehead girls rule.

Packer fans suck.

just sayin'.

Screw all that. I just dig chicks from Wisconsin. Well, one specific chick anyway.

hehehehe :smokin:

jg627

Yes, trolls are inherently bad. Their purpose is to disrupt normal communication, drive people from a forum, and generally create as much havoc, discord, and misery within a community as possible. They have no redeeming features.

As a retired pommel horse wrangler, I can tell you that most trolls don't like it when there is another rooster in the henhouse. If they think you're trolling when they've already marked their territory, trying to connect with them is near futile.

MisterDubs303

Provoking discussion is one thing. Railroading a thread is another.
Having a little fun is one thing. Railroading a thread is another.
Disliking a topic or viewpoint from another user is one thing. Railroading a thread is another.

Trolls are fine, as long as they don't railroad threads for their own personal amusement or agendas.
There are other people in the thread who are legitimately discussing the real topics of the threads.
Worse yet, there are people who are deterred from legitimately discussing the real topics of threads because the threads have already been railroaded by worthless trolls.

Also, while there are some exceptions, trolls are usually not quite as funny, nor as intelligent as they think they are. They do get reinforced by other trolls who are equally unaware, or unintelligent, and just feed each others' egos. Since it is not really within their control or even their awareness, we have to let it slide to some degree.

mikeyboy

Trolls are people too! Even trolls need some love sometimes!