# Can we relax the "don't call people trolls" rule? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 25, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529 "2010-06-25T20:56:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/1 "2010-06-25T20:56:43Z")
In ATMB threads about trolls and trollery, shouldn’t we be allowed to call a troll a troll? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/2 "2010-06-25T21:02:31Z")
A troll is a troll. And a roll is a roll. And if we don’t catch no trolls, Then we don’t eat no rolls. I made that up. What would it accomplish? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/3 "2010-06-25T21:17:53Z")
For what purpose? To insult them? It’s better in general to discuss the behavior rather than the person. So discussion of whether a particular post or pattern behavior constitutes trolling, in a thread about trolling, would be better. ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/4 "2010-06-25T21:24:48Z")
Yeah, **Colibri** , I just like going around insulting people. So I can’t say, “You’re a fucking troll!” But I _can_ say, "You were trolling here and here and here? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/5 "2010-06-25T21:50:29Z")
> [@SoulFrost](#): > > Yeah, **Colibri** , I just like going around insulting people. If it’s not for the purpose of insulting people, then I have to ask again exactly why you wish to call them trolls. > [@](#): > > So I can’t say, “You’re a fucking troll!” In ATMB? Absolutely not. > [@](#): > > But I _can_ say, "You were trolling here and here and here? In my opinion, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/6 "2010-06-25T22:00:44Z")
Unless the thread is about trolling, that just seems like it would derail the thread. If someone sees someone that they think they can demonstrate is a troll, to me that seems like something that should be sent to the mods not opened as a can of worms right in the middle of an unrelated conversation. ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/7 "2010-06-25T22:01:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > If it’s not for the purpose of insulting people, then I have to ask again exactly why you wish to call them trolls. Again, why the presumption that insult is my goal? You trying to start a knife fight? Because, in threads like “What is a troll?”, “How was I trolling?”, or “Am I a troll?”, being able to point to specific examples (and to give honest answers) promotes frank discussion. > [@Colibri](#): > > > [@SoulFrost](#): > > > > So I can’t say, “You’re a fucking troll!” > > In ATMB? Absolutely not. > [@Colibri](#): > > > [@Soulfrost](#): > > > > But I _can_ say, "You were trolling here and here and here? > > In my opinion, yes. Ok, then. Being able to point out examples of a poster’s trollery–and naming it as such–is, IMO, sufficient for frank discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/8 "2010-06-25T22:10:17Z")
> [@SoulFrost](#): > > Again, why the presumption that insult is my goal? You trying to start a knife fight? > > Because, in threads like “What is a troll?”, “How was I trolling?”, or “Am I a troll?”, being able to point to specific examples (and to give honest answers) promotes frank discussion. Why are you acting insulted just because I asked you what your intent was? You specifically asked whether it was OK to “call a troll a troll,” and the example you offered when I asked for clarification was “You’re a fucking troll!”, a pretty clear insult. Neither of these are necessary to “promote frank discussion.” You didn’t initially ask if it was OK to point to instances of trolling. ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/9 "2010-06-25T22:17:50Z")
I asked, “In ATMB threads **about trolls and trollery** , shouldn’t we be allowed to call a troll a troll?” My question looks clear enough to me. I just don’t like tapdancing around verbiage to stay in compliance. FWIW, I brought up the “You’re a fucking troll!” comment as an example as something I knew to be against the rules. I contrasted it with the second example. If we can point to a thread or a post and come right out and say that it’s trollery, that’s good enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/10 "2010-06-25T22:38:18Z")
> [@SoulFrost](#): > > I asked, “In ATMB threads **about trolls and trollery** , shouldn’t we be allowed to call a troll a troll?” > > My question looks clear enough to me. I just don’t like tapdancing around verbiage to stay in compliance. It wasn’t clear exactly what you were asking. And I think you overreacted by presuming that I was presuming that you personally were wanting to insult people. 😉 If you think I read something else into your question than you intended, by the same token you read more into my reply than I intended. ---
**Author:** ![SoulFrost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@SoulFrost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoulFrost)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-relax-the-dont-call-people-trolls-rule/544529/11 "2010-06-25T22:48:11Z")
Well damn. _Now_, who am I going to insult? 😛