# Why do people engage in long exchanges with trolls? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719 "2018-01-15T21:46:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/1 "2018-01-15T21:46:39Z")
Maybe this belongs in ATMB. Not sure. Serious question. I realize troll-ishness is (somewhat) in the eye of the beholder, so let me slightly rephrase my question this way: why do you (if you are one who does this) go back and forth and back and forth page after page post after post with someone who is on the opposite side of your belief and who has never shown any side of budging or changing? In some threads, these back-and-forths can go on for many pages. Eventually the exchanges deteriorate into name-calling, “Your mother wears army boots!” “No, YOUR mother!” “You’re a puppet!” “No, YOU’RE the puppet!” And worse. Sometimes ending (temporarily) with a mod warning. And these exchanges often go on between the same pair of posters and among the same groups of posters. I want to understand why. Is it because each side thinks it will have the last word? Surely, it’s not because either side thinks it can change the other side’s mind. And for the people who do it here, do you do the same thing IRL? Do you argue with your right-wing or left-wing cousin, mother-in-law, neighbor, colleague, pastor, coach, offspring ENDLESSLY when neither of you has budged on the topic… well, _ever_? They say that rats in a maze will eventually stop going down a tunnel when the cheese is removed. Not so, people. So I hypothesize that \*someone \*is getting metaphorical/symbolic cheese from this practice… what is the payoff? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/2 "2018-01-15T22:18:12Z")
Hope springs eternal? Thinking back to when I was a kid and my grandfather and his brothers were all together, usually drinking beer, they’d argue just to argue. It was like a sport to them. Maybe it’s something similar with trolls. In both cases, I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![BeenJammin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beenjammin/32/448_2.png) [@BeenJammin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeenJammin)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/3 "2018-01-15T22:25:42Z")
It’s an easy, cheap , quick way to manufacture self-esteem. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/4 "2018-01-15T22:49:35Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And these exchanges often go on between the same pair of posters and among the same groups of posters. > > I want to understand why. In most cases, I think, it’s because what the trolls post is hilarious, so you get them to keep bringing the funny. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/5 "2018-01-15T22:50:25Z")
probably boredom ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/6 "2018-01-15T23:02:34Z")
> [@BeenJammin](#): > > It’s an easy, cheap , quick way to manufacture self-esteem. Interesting. Would you like to discuss this at length? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/7 "2018-01-15T23:10:03Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Surely, it’s not because either side thinks it can change the other side’s mind. I’m of the opinion it’s impossible to change anybody’s mind about anything via debating things with them, so if the intractability of trolls were going to slow me down I’d have to stop debating entirely. I’m honestly not sure why I debate online. Part of it is the “Someone is wrong on the internet!” pressure. And another part of it is, I have to admit, a desire to show off. I like to think I’m good at formulating arguments and finding flaws in arguments, and in my weaker moments I like to imagine that people read my brilliant words and think well of me. (Fantasy, I know.) And in even weaker moments I pretend that my brilliant words are changing the mind of, not the people I’m engaging, but the lurkers who are silently reading along - not even remotely likely, but what the heck. As for whether I debate against intractable people in real life, I used to, and I’d love to, but I mostly don’t anymore. I’m an atheist surrounded by theists, and I’d love to poke holes all through their theologies, in part just for spite. (Theism hasn’t made things easy for me.) But I generally don’t get in such debates anymore because when they inevitably start seeing their theology coming apart theists get pissy, which is bad for social harmony. And I’d rather have friends than debates, so, sadly, I don’t debate much anymore, in real life anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/8 "2018-01-15T23:13:04Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I’m of the opinion it’s impossible to change anybody’s mind about anything via debating things with them, so if the intractability of trolls were going to slow me down I’d have to stop debating entirely. > > I’m honestly not sure why I debate online. Part of it is the “Someone is wrong on the internet!” pressure. And another part of it is, I have to admit, a desire to show off. I like to think I’m good at formulating arguments and finding flaws in arguments, and in my weaker moments I like to imagine that people read my brilliant words and think well of me. (Fantasy, I know.) And in even weaker moments I pretend that my brilliant words are changing the mind of, not the people I’m engaging, but the lurkers who are silently reading along - not even remotely likely, but what the heck. > > As for whether I debate against intractable people in real life, I used to, and I’d love to, but I mostly don’t anymore. I’m an atheist surrounded by theists, and I’d love to poke holes all through their theologies, in part just for spite. (Theism hasn’t made things easy for me.) But I generally don’t get in such debates anymore because when they inevitably start seeing their theology coming apart theists get pissy, which is bad for social harmony. And I’d rather have friends than debates, so, sadly, I don’t debate much anymore, in real life anyway. Your post make a lot of sense. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![BeenJammin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beenjammin/32/448_2.png) [@BeenJammin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeenJammin)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/9 "2018-01-15T23:26:38Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Interesting. Would you like to discuss this at length? Naw, I’m good. 😉 ---
**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:** [January 15, 2018, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/10 "2018-01-15T23:31:45Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I’m of the opinion it’s impossible to change anybody’s mind about anything via debating things with them, so if the intractability of trolls were going to slow me down I’d have to stop debating entirely. > > I’m honestly not sure why I debate online. Part of it is the “Someone is wrong on the internet!” pressure. And another part of it is, I have to admit, a desire to show off. I like to think I’m good at formulating arguments and finding flaws in arguments, and in my weaker moments I like to imagine that people read my brilliant words and think well of me. (Fantasy, I know.) And in even weaker moments I pretend that my brilliant words are changing the mind of, not the people I’m engaging, but the lurkers who are silently reading along - not even remotely likely, but what the heck. > > As for whether I debate against intractable people in real life, I used to, and I’d love to, but I mostly don’t anymore. I’m an atheist surrounded by theists, and I’d love to poke holes all through their theologies, in part just for spite. (Theism hasn’t made things easy for me.) But I generally don’t get in such debates anymore because when they inevitably start seeing their theology coming apart theists get pissy, which is bad for social harmony. And I’d rather have friends than debates, so, sadly, I don’t debate much anymore, in real life anyway. I used to think you could change people’s minds by debating with them, but your post has convinced me that you can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/11 "2018-01-15T23:32:53Z")
Xkcd 386. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/12 "2018-01-15T23:34:17Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I used to think you could change people’s minds by debating with them, but your post has convinced me that you can’t. I see what you’re doing there, but we weren’t debating just now, so the restriction doesn’t apply. 😃 ---
**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:** [January 15, 2018, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/13 "2018-01-15T23:35:02Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I see what you’re doing there, but we weren’t debating just now, so the restriction doesn’t apply. 😃 You’re right. I was wrong about that. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/14 "2018-01-15T23:37:04Z")
Resisting…urge…to unsuccessfully…get in…last word… …failing…resistance… ---
**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:** [January 15, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/15 "2018-01-15T23:49:50Z")
I’ve not had the time nor inclination in many years, but in the past: a) To see if there was any “there” there. b) To make them regret trolling by making it patently obvious how stupid their position was. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/16 "2018-01-15T23:57:27Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I’ve not had the time nor inclination in many years, but in the past: > > a) To see if there was any “there” there. That makes a \*little \*sense. > [@](#): > > b) To make them regret trolling by making it patently obvious how stupid their position was. I guess you’ve figured out that \*that \*doesn’t work. Every now and then someone on this board admits they’re wrong (I have) or does change their mind, but I don’t think it’s ever been one of the authentic trolls. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2018, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/17 "2018-01-15T23:57:37Z")
I think all of us understand the urge to make your point and sometimes getting caught up in the moment. . . But, what goes through your mind when it goes on for LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF POSTS? Like the current “your a liar!” “no, you are!” 4th gradeish slapfight going on in the [Controversial encounters thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=20725386#post20725386). . .It boggles the mind! mc ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/18 "2018-01-16T00:04:00Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I’m of the opinion it’s impossible to change anybody’s mind about anything via debating things with them, so if the intractability of trolls were going to slow me down I’d have to stop debating entirely. > > I’m honestly not sure why I debate online. Part of it is the “Someone is wrong on the internet!” pressure. And another part of it is, I have to admit, a desire to show off. I like to think I’m good at formulating arguments and finding flaws in arguments, and in my weaker moments I like to imagine that people read my brilliant words and think well of me. (Fantasy, I know.) And in even weaker moments I pretend that my brilliant words are changing the mind of, not the people I’m engaging, but the lurkers who are silently reading along - not even remotely likely, but what the heck. > > As for whether I debate against intractable people in real life, I used to, and I’d love to, but I mostly don’t anymore. I’m an atheist surrounded by theists, and I’d love to poke holes all through their theologies, in part just for spite. (Theism hasn’t made things easy for me.) But I generally don’t get in such debates anymore because when they inevitably start seeing their theology coming apart theists get pissy, which is bad for social harmony. And I’d rather have friends than debates, so, sadly, I don’t debate much anymore, in real life anyway. I lurk on these debates but seldom enter the fray. I do enjoy a good debate and will often alter my opinions based on these arguments. So, your reasons are valid. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/19 "2018-01-16T00:05:50Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > … authentic trolls. This sounds like an oxymoron. I thought trolls were pretty much by definition unauthentic. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719/20 "2018-01-16T00:06:39Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > why do you (if you are one who does this) go back and forth and back and forth page after page post after post with someone who is on the opposite side of your belief and who has never shown any side of budging or changing? In some threads, these back-and-forths can go on for many pages. I don’t know if I’m the troll, or if the other guy is the troll. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-engage-in-long-exchanges-with-trolls/806719.md?page=2)