# Can we please stop feeding the trolls? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 3, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617 "2007-06-03T22:27:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/1 "2007-06-03T22:27:56Z")
I was going to put this in ATMB, but I figured more people would see it here. Let’s stop letting threads, especially threads about developing news, get sidetracked into sparring with trolls who would rather pick fights than discuss the issue. I think the warning sign is when someone takes issue with how a post was worded, and responds to clarification with, effectively, “Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Well, I hate this board and you’re all stupid!” I’m not providing a link because that would not be sufficient. It’s not any one post; it’s the pig-wrestling that goes on for pages. If someone doesn’t want to discuss the issue at hand, **don’t respond**. I’m tired of the delusional trolls who think they can nail an insult to the SDMB cathedral doors and reform the whole board. Let them see that they can either adapt, or seek their intellectual equals elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/2 "2007-06-03T23:35:25Z")
Are you seriously telling people what to post? “seek their intellectual equals elsewhere” That’s snobbery of the highest order, IMO. The things that cause arguments (or pig-fighting) here: abusive ad hominem, mob appeal, anti-social behavior, the Offenderati, people who aren’t as smart as they think they are lashing out at others, and snobbery as exhibited above. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/3 "2007-06-03T23:39:53Z")
I think it’s easy to spot some trolls, especially when they are guests, but some longtime members have also engaged in some some trollish behavior, and it’s not so easy to spot those. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/4 "2007-06-03T23:40:07Z")
We have a cathedral? Hell I’m not even religious! Do you really think this cry for action is going to change the board’s posting habits? By naming them (trolls) in a thread topic, you have fed them yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/5 "2007-06-03T23:43:30Z")
Are they stray trolls? I hate people who feed strays. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/6 "2007-06-03T23:46:35Z")
Don’t forget! Spay and neuter your trolls! ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/7 "2007-06-03T23:47:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] Are they stray trolls? I hate people who feed strays. [/QUOTE] It’s OK as long as you spit in their food first. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/8 "2007-06-04T00:03:56Z")
[QUOTE=Scissorjack] It’s OK as long as you spit in their food first. [/QUOTE] Or serve them with a ladle. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/9 "2007-06-04T00:05:41Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] Are they stray trolls? I hate people who feed strays. [/QUOTE] I’m just trying to get them close enough, so I can pet their really cool hair. Susan ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/10 "2007-06-04T00:13:54Z")
[QUOTE=DudleyGarrett] Are you seriously telling people what to post? “seek their intellectual equals elsewhere” That’s snobbery of the highest order, IMO. The things that cause arguments (or pig-fighting) here: abusive ad hominem, mob appeal, anti-social behavior, the Offenderati, people who aren’t as smart as they think they are lashing out at others, and snobbery as exhibited above. [/QUOTE] See? That’s a great example of Trollery! “You can’t control what I post! I can say whatever I want! You’re a Snob/Control Freak/Fascist!” ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/11 "2007-06-04T00:20:03Z")
[QUOTE=Chimera] See? That’s a great example of Trollery! “You can’t control what I post! I can say whatever I want! You’re a Snob/Control Freak/Fascist!” [/QUOTE] How is that trollery? That’s an honest declaration of his legitimate views, not something he posted just to stir shit up and get a kick out of the response. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/12 "2007-06-04T00:23:58Z")
Now I’m hungry. Will someone feed me, or do I have to troll for my food? ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/13 "2007-06-04T00:31:57Z")
[QUOTE=susan\_foster] I’m just trying to get them close enough, so I can pet their really cool hair. [/QUOTE] Nooooo! You’re supposed to spin them real fast until their hair stands on end. > [@John Mace](#): > > Will someone feed me, or do I have to troll for my food? You want spit in your food?! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/14 "2007-06-04T00:53:27Z")
[QUOTE=Heffalump and Roo] You want spit in your food?! [/QUOTE] I’m quite sure **John Mace** is smart enough not to accept a meal from **VCO3**. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/15 "2007-06-04T01:24:32Z")
[QUOTE=Uvula Donor] Or serve them with a ladle. [/QUOTE] ok, I keep running into this one but don’t know where it comes from. Link, please? (I hate laughing politely to look like I am in the loop) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Hildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@Johnny\_Hildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Hildo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/16 "2007-06-04T01:27:19Z")
[QUOTE=Uvula Donor] Or serve them with a ladle. [/QUOTE] …that’s been in Autolycus’ ass. Thank you and goodnight! ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/17 "2007-06-04T01:35:07Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] ok, I keep running into this one but don’t know where it comes from. Link, please? (I hate laughing politely to look like I am in the loop) [/QUOTE] [The origin of the Ladle.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=413334&page=1) Read through to post #7 for the full context. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/18 "2007-06-04T01:37:36Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] ok, I keep running into this one but don’t know where it comes from. Link, please? (I hate laughing politely to look like I am in the loop) [/QUOTE] [A list of four things Autolycus has stuck up his ass.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8380630&postcount=7) ETA: Q.E.D. was first, but my link lable was funnier. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/19 "2007-06-04T01:37:53Z")
[QUOTE=Indistinguishable] How is that trollery? That’s an honest declaration of his legitimate views, not something he posted just to stir shit up and get a kick out of the response. [/QUOTE] No, not really. It’s a hostile response that says “I can do whatever I want and you can’t stop me”. Like other methods of trolling, it degrades and deflects the conversation away from whatever it was about and attempts to make it about the alleged Censorship/Fascism/Whatever and/or the person’s right to angrily defend their right to whatever the hell they think is more important than the original point. Or to quote a substring of that person’s post that was quoted in my post; > [@](#): > > people who aren’t as smart as they think they are lashing out at others Which is rich considering the next part of his post does exactly that, and could be considered an _Ad Hominem_ (attacking the person as a snob), which the poster railed at just previous to this statement. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617/20 "2007-06-04T01:44:59Z")
[QUOTE=Uvula Donor] [A list of four things Autolycus has stuck up his ass.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8380630&postcount=7) ETA: Q.E.D. was first, but my link lable was funnier. [/QUOTE] Wait a minute! **Q.E.D.** was the first thing that **Autolycus** stuck up his ass? How did I miss that? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-please-stop-feeding-the-trolls/406617.md?page=2)