# The evolutionary reasons for mischief and trolling **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 27, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963 "2011-10-27T13:52:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963/1 "2011-10-27T13:52:13Z")
As a mod, I found [this article](http://b.qr.ae/t5AoxT) of interest – because, frankly, even before I was a mod, I would regularly wonder “Why do people do this shit?” ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963/2 "2011-10-27T16:05:38Z")
Traditionally, trolls collected tolls. From an evolutionary perspective, this helped them acquire wealth, which in turn helped them to acquire resources / women. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963/3 "2011-10-27T16:48:02Z")
I’m not reading the linked article bacause it may give me ideas, but I do not believe that “evolution” has much to do with mischief and trolling. These persons are clearly avatars of one of the Trickster Gods (Coyote, Anansi, Loki, Jerry Springer), and are thus a matter for theologians. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963/4 "2011-10-27T21:46:30Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > As a mod, I found [this article](http://b.qr.ae/t5AoxT) of interest – because, frankly, even before I was a mod, I would regularly wonder “Why do people do this shit?” What shit, exactly? 😃 Is it really trolling if you’re serious but alone in your perspective? As I understand it, plenty of people thought Jesus was a troll, and Gandhi, and Socrates, and Andrew Dice Clay. All were infuriating scoundrels in their time, now revered and honored. Tell me with a straight face that you don’t already long for **thaidog** to rejoin us. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963/5 "2011-11-02T07:36:21Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > As a mod, I found [this article](http://b.qr.ae/t5AoxT) of interest – because, frankly, even before I was a mod, I would regularly wonder “Why do people do this shit?” Do you have a proper link, not a short-link, so I can decide if it’s sufficiently work-safe? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963/6 "2011-11-02T07:43:19Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Do you have a proper link, not a short-link, so I can decide if it’s sufficiently work-safe? Dry popular psych article, should be OK ---
**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:** [November 6, 2011, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963/7 "2011-11-06T11:48:14Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Is it really trolling if you’re serious but alone in your perspective? That depends on whether you reason for posting it is that you honestly think that you are right and want to convince people or even just share your opinion, or if you just want to piss people off. The latter is trolling, even if you are giving your honest opinion throughout. I’ve heard several people use it that way, some of them even former trolls. For example, Andrew Hussie, author of [MSPaintAdventures.com](http://www.mspaintadventures.com/), admits that he was trolling this guy who wasn’t a good artist, even though it was his honest opinion that the guy sucked. Ironically, the guy now sepcializes in an art style that is supposed to be inferior, and even has a [comic designed to suck](http://www.mspaintadventures.com/sweetbroandhellajeff/). ---
**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:** [November 6, 2011, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-evolutionary-reasons-for-mischief-and-trolling/600963/8 "2011-11-06T11:49:15Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Dry popular psych article, should be OK True, but it’s easier just to give him a link: > **[What is the evolutionary reason for mischief and "trolling"?](https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-evolutionary-reason-for-mischief-and-trolling)** > > Answer (1 of 4): There are likely multiple evolutionary factors behind the tendency to create mischief. > > Several concepts are interconnected with the idea of mischief: > \* Playing fair vs. ignoring the rules (following/breaking social norms) > \*...