We’re all fully aware that it is possible to register mulitple screen names. We just don’t give a flying shit. We’re not impressed with your rebelliousness. We don’t feel sorry for you. We aren’t outraged at how you’ve been oppressed. We just don’t give a shit about you.
Please get over your delusion that you are some sort of noble freedom fighters daring to be the voice of warning in the face of an oppressive regime. You’re not. You’re irritating. Nothing more.
I know the best policy is ignoring them, but I’m in a really rotten mood right now and need to vent. Mods, if this thread shows any signs of making the problem worse, please lock it. Thank you. I’m feeling better already.
It seems to me that most of the people being accused of being “trolls” haven’t really done anything wrong except stated opinions that piss off a bunch of really heated up individuals. The U.S. is in a state of crisis. Suddenly people aren’t allowed to speak freely anymore?
I haven’t seen any trolls so far. Just a lot of dumb chest beating and jingoistic bullshit in response to a few people whose opinions don’t mesh with the majority.
I think we need to distinguish between genuine trolls (and yes, there have been a few of these lately) and people who just have an opinion somebody disagrees with.
Does anybody disagree with the following definition of a troll?
Troll.v.,n. To utter a posting on Usenet designed to attract predictable responses or flames; or, the post itself. Derives from the phrase “trolling for newbies” which in turn comes from mainstream “trolling”, a style of fishing in which one trails bait through a likely spot hoping for a bite. The well-constructed troll is a post that induces lots of newbies and flamers to make themselves look even more clueless than they already do, while subtly conveying to the more savvy and experienced that it is in fact a deliberate troll. If you don’t fall for the joke, you get to be in on it.
I think that definition gives them too much credit. Subtle? Savvy? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a troll that was either of those things.
Trolls always make me think of 14-year-olds, stuck in their room and whining about their oppressive fascist parents who just won’t let them do anything man and it’s, like, so unfair and oppressive and no-one understands. Trolling is like messing up the room just to piss off the parents - it’s childish and obvious and laughable to everyone else.
The only thing more predictable than the occasional occurance of trolls and puppets is the fact that they will eventually get someone vexed enough to start a thread like this.
Let it go …
…and they will.
ok, i’m a little confused. the definition that aegypt gave seemed to sound like trolls were “regulars” who decided to post inflammatory opinions in order to rile up the newbies. i could have misunderstood. and what are socks? i’ve never heard that one before.
aegypt’s definition is accurate on USENET, where there have been several famous trolls. Also, USENET culture is somewhat different from the SDMB.
A “sock” is one who registers under another name and uses that to bolster their own opinion in a debate, or to stir up trouble. Think of two sock puppets, one on each hand, talking to the other. Make no mistake: socks are bad and will get you banned.
How the heck can you people tell?! I can never tell whether or not its someone trying to stir something up or somebody with different opinions than the norm.
Also, I think the term gets thrown around too much: whenever somebody say’s something that someone else doesnt like, your immediatley a “troll” or “sockpuppet”.
You need to add that they are sitting in their underwear, frustrated that they haven’t yet learned to masturbate, eating BBQ potato chips that stick in their braces and leaving little floaties in their 2 liter bottle of pepsi that they are drinking.
I just ignore them. They want attention. If you pretend like they are not there, then they go away. What fun is it to troll if no one listens.
This is so true. Trolls almost always end up getting into a pissing contest with a Mod, and eventually Lynn or Tuba. This eventually leads to a banning. The Admins don’t ban them, they ban themselves.
