# Where are the liberal trolls?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [October 30, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012 "2014-10-30T15:00:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/1 "2014-10-30T15:00:55Z")
[I put this here since the threads I’m discussing are in the Pit. If it’s not the right place, Mods, please move it.]
I know this board leans left, but we do have some reasoned and reasonable discussions here. And even many of the less reasonable ones don’t sink to the level of idiocy exhibited in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739050) and at least a one other going on these days.
That said, I wonder this: Is there a place where left-leaning idiots troll conservatives with childish responses, gotchas, and holier-than-thou smugness? Maybe I’m not seeing this due to my own biases, but between the SDMB, my Facebook feed, and so many Comments sections (not to mention talk radio), it seems that those on the left don’t ever sink this low. I started a thread so as not to derail the passionate, intelligent discussion going on in other threads, so…
Thoughts?
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### Author:  [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/2 "2014-10-30T15:07:29Z")
I was just actually wondering this very thing myself.
One can find some really dumb liberal comments on Democratic Underground, but that’s not trolling per se.
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/3 "2014-10-30T15:11:21Z")
The dearly departed **NotFooledbyW**. Except he trolled everyone, regardless of their political leanings. We’ve had a few modern communists trolling this board, too.
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### Author:  [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/4 "2014-10-30T15:12:06Z")
> [@Mr.Greenjeans](#):
>
> Is there a place where left-leaning idiots troll conservatives with childish responses, gotchas, and holier-than-thou smugness?
Yes, it’s called the SDMB.
If you think the lefties here never descend to childishness, gotchas, or smugness, you aren’t paying any attention at all.
Regards,
Shodan
---
### Author:  [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/5 "2014-10-30T15:15:39Z")
My guess is that liberals are usually reactionary. They’re peaceniks who don’t project hostility unless confronted with hostility. They don’t drop topical turds out of the blue because they don’t like the way conservative ranters do it.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/6 "2014-10-30T15:17:30Z")
I think they’re trying to catch up on their aerobics so they can get in shape for the presidential election.
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### Author:  [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/7 "2014-10-30T15:18:29Z")
> [@Shodan](#):
>
> Yes, it’s called the SDMB.
>
> If you think the lefties here never descend to childishness, gotchas, or smugness, you aren’t paying any attention at all.
>
> Regards,
> Shodan
Name me one liberal poster who sinks to the level of **Citizen5**.
…
…Hang on, name me one liberal poster who sinks to the level of **Shodan**.
(Maybe **Drunky**? Is he a liberal?)
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### Author:  [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/8 "2014-10-30T15:19:39Z")
This is a clear case of can’t see the forest for the trees…
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### Author:  [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/9 "2014-10-30T15:21:24Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#):
>
> My guess is that liberals are usually reactionary. They’re peaceniks who don’t project hostility unless confronted with hostility. They don’t drop topical turds out of the blue because they don’t like the way conservative ranters do it.
I wonder if this is related to whatever process keeps political talk radio as an almost entirely conservative experience?
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/10 "2014-10-30T15:24:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> The dearly departed **NotFooledbyW**. Except he trolled everyone, regardless of their political leanings. We’ve had a few modern communists trolling this board, too.
Not really trolls as generally defined on this board, though.
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### Author:  [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/11 "2014-10-30T15:27:40Z")
> [@Shodan](#):
>
> Yes, it’s called the SDMB.
>
> If you think the lefties here never descend to childishness, gotchas, or smugness, you aren’t paying any attention at all.
>
> Regards,
> Shodan
This is missing the point. I wouldn’t call posters like you (or Der Trihs, on the other end) trolls, just highly opinionated people who get into lots of arguments. When people say trolls, they’re referring to the people who make one thread on a ridiculous subject and get banned after a few dozen posts. Those posters are overwhelmingly conservative.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/12 "2014-10-30T15:28:04Z")
> [@Shodan](#):
>
> Yes, it’s called the SDMB.
>
> If you think the lefties here never descend to childishness, gotchas, or smugness, you aren’t paying any attention at all.
>
> Regards,
> Shodan
All sides do that. We’re talking about out and out _trolls_-people that post just to get an angry reaction from others, whether they believe what they are posting or not.
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### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/13 "2014-10-30T15:28:47Z")
What ever happened to our One Trick Pony list?
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### Author:  [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/14 "2014-10-30T15:29:56Z")
There are a few of my facebook friends that post dozens of bizarre, right-wing posts daily. I have often responded by posted the snopes link that debunks the post (turns out, Obama did not demand that all federal building fly the flag at half mast when Whitney Houston died) which they may perceive as trolling, but certainly wouldn’t be here.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/15 "2014-10-30T15:34:15Z")
> [@Shodan](#):
>
> Yes, it’s called the SDMB.
>
> If you think the lefties here never descend to childishness, gotchas, or smugness, you aren’t paying any attention at all.
When we say “troll”, we mean something like this:
> [@How did this woman get elected (Pelosi)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-this-woman-get-elected-pelosi/702982/68):
>
> Ok one last one. It isn’t about winning an argument. It is about how easily control is relinquished to someone who just joined a couple hours ago. You kids are the easiest I have ever seen. Thanks, its been fun getting you all worked up for my own personal entertainment.
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### Author:  [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/16 "2014-10-30T15:35:16Z")
The question answers itself: out-and-out trolls (rather than simply very opinionated posters) sre likely to self-select/take on the opposite character from the way a board “leans”. In this way, they maximize the reaction they get.
Where are the liberal trolls? Off trolling a board that leans conservative.
[Of course, the “liberal” trolls may in some cases be the very same people as the “conservative” trolls …]
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### Author:  [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/17 "2014-10-30T15:36:38Z")
Why would a liberal troll try and troll a bastion of liberalism?
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/18 "2014-10-30T15:38:17Z")
> [@Malthus](#):
>
> The question answers itself: out-and-out trolls (rather than simply very opinionated posters) sre likely to self-select/take on the opposite character from the way a board “leans”. In this way, they maximize the reaction they get.
>
> Where are the liberal trolls? Off trolling a board that leans conservative.
>
> [Of course, the “liberal” trolls may in some cases be the very same people as the “conservative” trolls …]
Beat me to it. This board leans left. Trolls like riling up the other side. You’re not going to see conservative trolls on a conservative message board, but you may very well find some liberal trolls there. The SDMB leans left (at least by US standards), so you’re unlikely to really find lefties trolling here. What would be the point?
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### Author:  [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/19 "2014-10-30T15:45:56Z")
Ugh. I can’t believe that I’m mentioning the site two times in the same day, but you can usually find liberal trolls on Free Republic. Also, Fox News will get some in the comments section of certain articles.
Don’t really know if this counts as trolling since it is on Facebook and therefore you have to make the conscious decision to “friend” someone, but I am Facebook friends with someone who makes posts that could definitely be considered trolling if he didn’t genuinely believe them. He’s a pseudo-intellectual with a Philosophy degree and therefore thinks his ideas and opinions are beyond reproach. His rants on government, society, etc., are half-baked and susceptible to harsh criticism.
But, since he’s an adult film star, no matter what he posts, he gets 100s of “likes” or comments of support by people who think, by agreeing with him, there’s a good chance that he’ll sleep with them. It’s annoying as hell.
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### Author:  [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-liberal-trolls/703012/20 "2014-10-30T15:47:55Z")
> [@Calatin](#):
>
> Ugh. I can’t believe that I’m mentioning the site two times in the same day, but you can usually find liberal trolls on Free Republic.
Yeah, I was going to mention that. There’s always been some pretty awful libtrolling among the Freepers.
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