# What is trolling? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 24, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298 "2010-06-24T01:25:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/81 "2010-06-25T03:17:38Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > it is my contention that occasionally making a post for the sole purpose of tweaking someone is not a wrong thing to do. It is a wrong thing to do, just as it would be wrong to flick someone on the tip of their nose every once in a while just because you wanted to see their reaction. It’s an act being undertaken for the sake of amusing yourself, not for engaging in conversation. That is trolling and that is being a jerk. Both of these things are prohibited. They aren’t prohibited in the sense of “Don’t live your life as a jerk.” They’re prohibited in the sense of, “Don’t do it, ever. Not once.” Why _would_ the SDMB want someone specifically going out to troll people – however infrequently? What does this add to any thread? _Why do you personally have the right to decide when a thread needs to be shaken up and dislodged?_ Maybe you think someone needs to lighten up, but that’s not your choice to make. There are thousands of other people here who may very well think that the conversation is going just fine and don’t want you to derail it. There are possibly thousands of people who would be quite happy to reach out and tweak someone any time they simply felt in the mood to do so, and if they were allowed to do that, no discussion would ever make it through to its end. If you don’t want to discuss something, if you don’t want to talk with someone, you have full right to go post in a different thread or to put that poster on ignore. You do not have any right to decide that a thread or a poster isn’t worth being heard by anyone else. Only if you honestly think that someone is breaking the rules somehow may you do anything to disrupt the conversation, and that is limited to informing a moderator and letting the moderator make the decision. Anything else is either being a troll, being disruptive, or being a self-centered ass. Acting like any of those is against the rules. Don’t do it. If you don’t want to have to behave like a civilized and humble poster 100% of the time, go to a forum that allows trolls and jerks. It’s that simple. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/82 "2010-06-25T03:21:03Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > I didn’t post it in Great Debates. I posted it in IMHO and it got moved to GD and from there to the Pit. I have no control over where it gets moved to. I wouldn’t dream of starting a thread like that in GD. > > So the warning was a GD warning and as such inappropriate since it wasn’t a GD thread. Therefore it should be rescinded with an apology. > > I await such and I still want to execute all the religious people if possible, but in an IMHO/Pitty kind of way. Not in a GD kind of way. Circular Logic Cat is circular. That thread would have trolling in any forum on this board. ---
**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, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/83 "2010-06-25T05:47:06Z")
You’re confusing intent, **Randal**. Everyone can forgive when someone does something uncool, the mods say “Hey, cool it,” and the poster cools. That’s the ‘occasional’ that’s being talked about. But making it a habit, even an infrequent one (and, I must say, your habit is far from infrequent), is something that has to be dealt with. Posting in good faith and improvement will forgive a lot. Posting in bad faith, no matter how infrequently, will eventually get you canned. > [@mutantmoose](#): > > So the warning was a GD warning and as such inappropriate since it wasn’t a GD thread. Therefore it should be rescinded with an apology. > [@Oakminster](#): > > Circular Logic Cat is circular. That thread would have trolling in any forum on this board. Ayuh. The only reason **tom** mentioned GD specifically is because he runs that particular forum. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/84 "2010-06-25T05:53:50Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > You obviously know what a troll is. And you are in fact trolling this very forum. > > ALL of the terms? How about the “Don’t be a Jerk” rule? Fits everything, really. > > Stating “It’s troll feeding time, and I’m hungry!” in a thread? Pretty obvious. > > Give it up. Seriously. You look like a douche. But not a liberal one, of course. 😉 > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Why is it such a bad thing to try to get a rise out of people (as long as that is not the only thing a particular poster is doing)? It’s easy to get to know who’s who. I think people are well aware that I like getting people’s goat every once in a while (even Barack HUSSEIN Obama knows it by now). I don’t think my goat-getting posts have done any irreparable damage. :rolleyes: Because that’s THE EXACT DEFINITION OF TROLLING. Duh. You’re better off at 4chan or some place like that. ---
**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:** [June 25, 2010, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/85 "2010-06-25T07:00:27Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I think you’re trying to argue the staff into an unreasonable and untenable binary position, **Rand Rover**. And I don’t see why we should allow “occasional” tweaking. Thing is, I think a binary position would go against him. I have not found any of his posts to be essential to the understanding of a thread. This implies he has not contributed anything other than the trolling posts already mentioned. I’d much rather be thought of as someone who occasionally throws out trolling posts than as an actual troll. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/86 "2010-06-25T10:37:19Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Thing is, I think a binary position would go against him. I’m thinking of this in terms of the board rules, not a position on whether or not **Rand Rover** is a troll. His argument seems to be this: if a poster trolls nearly all the time, then almost all of his posts are trolling. That shouldn’t be allowed and that poster should be banned. But if a poster isn’t trolling all the time, his posts are just tweaking and they should be okay. The problem with this is that it’s trivially easy for even an obvious troll to make some allowable posts. So that approach doesn’t work. That’s one reason we feel it’s a good idea to warn people for trolling in a particular post or thread rather than just declaring “you are a troll” and throwing them out, and we’ll usually give multiple warnings for trolling before we consider a ban. We do keep a poster’s history in mind iin making decisions about his or behavior and our response, but we don’t have to limit our rulings to ‘this is fine, he’s not a troll’ or ‘he’s a troll, let’s ban him.’ > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Why is it such a bad thing to try to get a rise out of people (as long as that is not the only thing a particular poster is doing)? Because it’s a dick thing to do. At least insofar as “getting a rise out of people” means deliberately annoying them because you think they are small-minded or something along those lines. > [@](#): > > I think people are well aware that I like getting people’s goat every once in a while (even Barack HUSSEIN Obama knows it by now). Yes, I think they know that. Does that mean they have to put up with it all the time? > [@](#): > > I don’t think my goat-getting posts have done any irreparable damage. Probably not. But then again, this is a message board. Practically nothing here causes irreparable damage, so that’s not the standard we use. The standard is something more like ‘is this good for the board, and is it in keeping with the kind of board people here want to have?’ ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/87 "2010-06-25T12:14:21Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t think my goat-getting posts have done any irreparable damage. A single troll post might not do a lot of damage, but it’s like dings in a car. One or two tiny dings might not matter, if the car isn’t brand new. However, if you get enough dings, and they don’t get fixed, they will have an adverse effect on the car’s value. Basically, we don’t want people dinging this message board just for fun. YOU might be having fun, but you make the board less fun for most of the other users. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/88 "2010-06-25T13:31:59Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Circular Logic Cat is circular “Pointing out the obvious cat will now point out the obvious” 😉 Mods, a poster has stated that he likes to troll the boards, and wants to further troll the boards in future. Why hasn’t he been banned? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/89 "2010-06-25T14:13:06Z")
I don’t understand what the problem is. Posting to “get someone’s goat” is, literally, the definition of trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/90 "2010-06-25T15:50:48Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > a poster sincerely believes something or is just posting it to get a rise out of people. Still not mutually exclucive. Cf. the Stormfronters who posted here. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/91 "2010-06-25T15:57:07Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Mods, a poster has stated that he likes to troll the boards, and wants to further troll the boards in future. Why hasn’t he been banned? When we ban people, it’s based on what they’ve done, not what they say they are going to do. (With the exception of threats to sue or hack the boards.) **Rand Rover** asked for an explanation of a rule he’s had a problem with, so having explained it to him, we hold out hope that he’ll get it. ---
**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, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/92 "2010-06-25T15:58:11Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > I think that a normal poster that occasionally makes a post designed to stir shit up is not a troll, and such posts are not “trolling posts.” > [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > But it is my contention that occasionally making a post for the sole purpose of tweaking someone is not a wrong thing to do. It’s only wrong if that is all a poster does. It’s not required that you agree with our definition of trolling, or our policy against it. All that is required is that you abide by the rules here and our interpretation of them, which you agreed to do when you signed the Registration Agreement. You have made it abundantly clear in this thread that you understand the definition of trolling that we employ (even if you disagree with it or think it unreasonable). You have also made it clear that you enjoy trolling (by our definition) and engage in it for your own entertainment. The bottom line is: don’t engage in any further trolling on this board. If you have a shadow of a doubt about whether a post or thread might be considered trolling, you would be well advised to contact a moderator beforehand to seek their opinion on it. Additional trolling posts by you will be subject to warnings, and will jeopardize your posting privileges. If you enjoy other aspects of the board besides trolling, you need to decide whether it is worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/93 "2010-06-25T15:58:34Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Wow. I think this illustrates the superiority of my definition of trolling (as I stated in the OP). It seems ridiculous to me that a mod is required to determine if a poster sincerely believes something or is just posting it to get a rise out of people. And it’s laughable that that thread was OK when people thought he sincerely believed it but against board rules when he didn’t. > > Why is it such a bad thing to try to get a rise out of people (as long as that is not the only thing a particular poster is doing)? It’s easy to get to know who’s who. I think people are well aware that I like getting people’s goat every once in a while (even Barack HUSSEIN Obama knows it by now). I don’t think my goat-getting posts have done any irreparable damage. Wait…Barack Obama’s middle name is HUSSEIN? Really? I had _no_ idea! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/94 "2010-06-25T15:58:49Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > You’re confusing intent, **Randal**. Flagg? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/95 "2010-06-25T16:29:52Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > From the [Registration Agreement](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=423183) (which you should have read when registering): > > Bolding mine. Trolling does not necessarily require that the position taken must be insincere. The principle requirement is that the post is for the principle intention of making people angry or upset. > > Nor does the admission of trolling absolve the troller of the charge. This is interesting, I have been accused of trolling while being sincere in my posts all the time. So if people get upset at your post then it might be considered trolling based on the judgement of the mod. If some of the other posters called you names, insult you, and launch personal attacks on you it is OK, because you don’t believe as the majority do and you could be called for trolling. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12604218&postcount=411](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12604218&postcount=411) Scientific explanation of the word “theory”: > [@](#): > > While theories in the arts and philosophy may address ideas and not easily observable empirical phenomena, in modern science the term “theory”, or “scientific theory” is generally understood to refer to a proposed explanation of empirical phenomena, made in a way consistent with the scientific method. Such theories are preferably described in such a way that any scientist in the field is in a position to understand, verify, and challenge (or “falsify”) it. In this modern scientific context the distinction between theory and practice corresponds roughly to the distinction between theoretical science and technology or applied science . Keywords are “proposed explanation” this does not mean there are any facts involved. This is just like all the proposed explanations for the ghost stories that I guess some really thought to be valuable. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/96 "2010-06-25T16:41:45Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > If some of the other posters called you names, insult you, and launch personal attacks on you it is OK Not outside the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/97 "2010-06-25T16:45:30Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > So if people get upset at your post then it might be considered trolling based on the judgement of the mod. Intent is an issue in trolling. If people are upset at something you post but there is no indication you were _trying_ to upset them, it isn’t trolling. > [@](#): > > If some of the other posters called you names, insult you, and launch personal attacks on you it is OK, because you don’t believe as the majority do and you could be called for trolling. This is not true. I’m tempted to correct your comments about theories, because the definition you quoted (as opposed to the one you added) sounds good to me. But experience shows that’s useless. I think everybody who posts in Great Debates has tried to tell you the meaning of theory at least once, and it’s never made a dent. So we should probably not drag it into this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/98 "2010-06-25T16:57:34Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Well, that’s the point there bub. I think that the definition of trolling is loaded against people with a viewpoint that is different than the majority on this forum. If that’s who you guys want to be, then you go right ahead, just recognize that that’s what you are doing. I think there is some truth to this. I think it may have started with you having a different viewpoint, but I think it’s now simply YOU and not your viewpoint. You personally will be judged and what you say will probably be looked at in a harsher light than others. There are some really good mods here, there really are. There are also a few who want to play games and show you what they can do with what little power they’ve been given. It’s not really a flaw of the board, it’s a character flaw of those who are acting in this way. That’s not going to change. If you end up getting banned I get the impression that it won’t really bum you out for even a day, so just participate as you see fit and whatever happens will happen. You’re not going to get anywhere here. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/99 "2010-06-25T17:05:28Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > I think there is some truth to this. I think it may have started with you having a different viewpoint, but I think it’s now simply YOU and not your viewpoint. You personally will be judged and what you say will probably be looked at in a harsher light than others. People with a minority viewpoint might be more likely to be accused of trolling. But at least as far as **Rand Rover** is concerned, the issue is usually how he presents his opinions, not just what he says. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298/100 "2010-06-25T17:12:26Z")
Huh. You don’t even have to mention Beetlejuice by name for him to show up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-trolling/544298.md?page=6)