# Proper Trolling Etiquette. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 17, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995 "2016-05-17T14:17:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/41 "2016-05-19T15:50:29Z")
Here’s a good example of how to troll. You respond to a substantive post with nothing but, say, this: > [@](#): > > I think I’ll join the majority of people on this board and check the “total moron” box beside your name. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/42 "2016-05-19T16:08:47Z")
To qualify as trolling, the target of the insult must \*not \*be a total moron, and the speaker must know this, but say it anyway solely to get a rise out of him. If the target is a total moron, it’s merely an observation of fact, and the worst one could say is that it’s so obvious that it didn’t need to be addressed. Not to mention the “substantive post” clause— but since a total moron is incapable of making a substantive post, that part is not really relevant. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/43 "2016-05-19T17:44:49Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Here’s a good example of how to troll. [This example is much better](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=793471) ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/44 "2016-05-19T17:57:28Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > [This example is much better](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=793471) Thanks for proving my point. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/45 "2016-05-19T18:02:32Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Here’s a good example of how to troll. You respond to a substantive post with nothing but, say, this: Uncited, unattributed, unlinked? Tsk. Tsk, I say. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/46 "2016-05-19T18:06:14Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Uncited, unattributed, unlinked? Tsk. Tsk, I say. I am waiting for a mod to weigh in on the original. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/47 "2016-05-19T18:13:47Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Uncited, unattributed, unlinked? Tsk. Tsk, I say. > [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I am waiting for a mod to weigh in on the original. [I wouldn’t hold my breath.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19342473&postcount=206) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/48 "2016-05-19T18:23:25Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I am waiting for a mod to weigh in on the original. If you reported a poster for insulting you in the Pit, it’s not what I’d call strong evidence against your being a total moron. ---
**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:** [May 19, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/49 "2016-05-19T18:26:37Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > If you reported a poster for insulting you in the Pit, it’s not what I’d call strong evidence against your being a total moron. Not to worry! He didn’t report that post because it insulted him. He’s claiming the poster was trolling. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/50 "2016-05-19T18:28:09Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > If you reported a poster for insulting you in the Pit, it’s not what I’d call strong evidence against your being a total moron. I didn’t. The insult wasn’t in the Pit. But thanks for asking. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/51 "2016-05-19T19:46:34Z")
> [@YogSothoth](#): > > Is that so bad? We allow people to post about their real life dramas. So what’s wrong with fake drama? If I wanted to pretend a particularly salacious plot point on TV is my own, what’s the difference between that discussion and a real one? We are miscommunicating. Reporting on RL drama: Meh, to each his own. Creating within-board drama: Bad. False reports of RL drama: they start out with meh, but tend to lead to within-board drama as the troll escalates over time and posters get jerked around and more invested. I’m making a narrow point here. I’m also not too keen with posting of BS, but that’s a separate point and I see you are ok with that in this context. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/52 "2016-05-19T20:02:27Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I am waiting for a mod to weigh in on the original. In the Pit? BWAH-HAH-HAH-HAH–HAH! Christ on a hoverboard, you are a moron. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/53 "2016-05-19T20:08:15Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I didn’t. The insult wasn’t in the Pit. > > But thanks for asking. You mean people in other forums think you’re a total moron too? Color me surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/54 "2016-05-19T20:15:27Z")
I’d like to add, that the post Lance is quoting in **Morgenstern’s** post is mine. And Lance is utterly lying about what I said in that post to… I dunno… just attack something. That seems a bit on the trolling side, unless he’s just to stupid to know he’s doing it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/55 "2016-05-19T21:40:41Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I didn’t. The insult wasn’t in the Pit. > > But thanks for asking. Dude, John Mace posted a link to the post you cited–and it was in the Pit. I mean, I’ve accidentally reported a post in the Pit before, too. I lost track of what forum I was in. But to double down like this? And, anyways, if you want a good example of trolling, try [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=793270). A question that’s actually a controversial one, but mixed in with a little bit of horribleness. All so different people focus on different parts and it turns into a fight. What looks like a thread about whether or not there are some things that shouldn’t be joked about is instead devolving into people angrily explaining why Nazis are evil, and it’s all set up in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/56 "2016-05-19T22:07:34Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I am waiting for a mod to weigh in on the original. Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you were waiting for me to respond. I’ll do that now: It’s the Pit, dumbfuck. Insults are allowed here. Hope that cleared things up for you! ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/57 "2016-05-20T01:00:59Z")
… potty mouth … ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/58 "2016-05-20T01:56:49Z")
I’m telling. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/59 "2016-05-20T03:16:27Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Dude, John Mace posted a link to the post you cited–and it was in the Pit. > > I mean, I’ve accidentally reported a post in the Pit before, too. I lost track of what forum I was in. But to double down like this? > > And, anyways, if you want a good example of trolling, try [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=793270). A question that’s actually a controversial one, but mixed in with a little bit of horribleness. All so different people focus on different parts and it turns into a fight. > > What looks like a thread about whether or not there are some things that shouldn’t be joked about is instead devolving into people angrily explaining why Nazis are evil, and it’s all set up in the OP. Maybe we should shut these boards down because off all the disagreements and people having different opinions about things. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995/60 "2016-05-20T03:25:39Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Maybe we should shut these boards down because off all the disagreements and people having different opinions about things. :eek: And I think we shouldn’t. So, there! 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proper-trolling-etiquette/754995.md?page=4)