# What Rough Beast. Or: Just What \*Is\* a Troll Anyhow?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rough-beast-or-just-what-is-a-troll-anyhow/20766>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 29, 2000, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rough-beast-or-just-what-is-a-troll-anyhow/20766 "2000-05-29T01:23:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2000, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rough-beast-or-just-what-is-a-troll-anyhow/20766/1 "2000-05-29T01:23:16Z")

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[Warning! Inexpert opinion follows! Experts feel free to correct any misconceptions intruduced in the following text, but be nice or I’ll accuse you of trolling! ;)]

To tell the truth, I think it’s pretty simple. A troll is someone who deliberately tries to start trouble (usually an argument) on a BBS or in a newsgroup. A troll is deninitely _not_ someone who simply disagrees with you. They go beyond that by being altogether disagreeable. The intent is to start a flame war (or some similar unpleasantness).

I think the name was arrived at because the verb “to troll” means “To fish by trailing a line, as from a moving boat.” Additionally, a troll is a rather disagreeable creature found in fairy tales and fantasy role-playing games.

–Baloo

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2000, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rough-beast-or-just-what-is-a-troll-anyhow/20766/2 "2000-05-29T03:24:53Z")

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Now go forth and do not likewise.

(Rather too many posters on this MB use it to mean anyone they displike, but the original usage is as you described.)

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**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2000, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-rough-beast-or-just-what-is-a-troll-anyhow/20766/3 "2000-05-29T07:57:25Z")

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Well, to me, a Troll enjoys the thrill of having people completely pissed off at him/her, and having those same pissed-off people helpless to do anything about it (except maybe banishment, but new screen names are easily accessible to the Troll’s point of view).

Also, a Troll is anyone who does not immediately agree with me on any issue (that was a joke).