# Why do people troll message boards and forums? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 26, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225 "2012-12-26T21:45:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TheCrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@TheCrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCrow)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/1 "2012-12-26T21:45:41Z")
Do you think there is any deeper reason besides having fun? I think trolling can have something to do with `anti social personality disorder`. But, I am not an expert on human psychology therefore I cannot firmly state that it is an personality disorder or something similar. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/2 "2012-12-26T22:01:08Z")
Some people just like to be the center of attention, good or bad. Surely you know someone who tells unbelieveable stories or does outrageous things only to get a rise out of their audience. I had a relative who would tell stories/do things that were tailored to anger or irritate the specific people he was talking to at that moment. The details would change with the audience, in order to more effectively get peoples’s goat. The internet makes it much easier and usually consequence-free. It is cheaper, in terms of social capital, than old fashioned in person BSing. The tall-tale-teller eventually wears out their credibility with their social group or runs out of stunts to pull, but on the internet you can find new folks to shower you with opprobrium every day. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/3 "2012-12-26T22:02:16Z")
For fun and profit. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/4 "2012-12-26T22:06:22Z")
For fortune and glory ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/5 "2012-12-26T22:28:14Z")
Perhaps they are lurking and get bored. ---
**Author:** ![Altivu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@Altivu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Altivu)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/6 "2012-12-26T22:36:09Z")
To put it informally, they like to see how many people can get easily pissed off, cause it’s fun to make fun of people :rolleyes: Is trolling a form of internet bullying? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/7 "2012-12-26T22:42:56Z")
I think the definition of trolling has changed a lot. Nowadays it seems to consist of tweeting abuse to celebrities, but that’s just piss and vinegar. It used to be a bit more subtle, and take a lot more effort. When I joined these boards I read a load of older threads, searching around for local stuff mostly, but also for big events and various nut-job conspiracies. There’s some major old-school trolling going on in these two threads about the moon landings: > **[Charity drive to feed the empty heads of the Nasa/moon conspiracy theorists](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=60144)** > > You-know-what is on FOX right now, and it’s been quite a chuckle so far. I haven’t seen anything new, aside from the same old trash that’s been circulating via email for years. In case you haven’t seen the conspiracy theories yourself, Philip... > **[Yes, It's Another Moon Hoax Thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=88137)** > > The avalanche of pro-NASA evidence from the last moon hoax thread I participated in was quite impressive; more than enough (combined with the equally impressive avalanche of personal attacks) to cause me to cease and desist. But on Saturday I saw a... I’m not sure what the (rather obvious who it is) _controversialist_ was getting out of it, but fair play to the people who responded so painstakingly. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/8 "2012-12-27T00:07:42Z")
Personality disorder. We’ve seen if before many times. I suggest therapy. ---
**Author:** ![TheCrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a6a055/32.png) [@TheCrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCrow)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/9 "2012-12-27T00:26:17Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Personality disorder. We’ve seen if before many times. I suggest therapy. Is this your opinion(your wish, perhaps) ? Can you quote from an official or authoritative source to prove it is a personality disorder? ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/10 "2012-12-27T00:33:49Z")
Some trolls act badly because they’ve had a hard life, or have been mistreated…but, like people, some of them are just jerks. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/11 "2012-12-27T00:40:40Z")
Nothing better to do. If I were a more argumentative person, I’d totally be a troll - looks like fun winding up the morons. ---
**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:** [December 27, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/12 "2012-12-27T01:08:47Z")
I have seen many get acused of trolling when it appeared they were playing devils advocate for the sake of addressing issues not normaly addressed. Sometimes what appears to be trolling can lead to some excellent discussions. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/13 "2012-12-27T01:10:30Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > Some trolls act badly because they’ve had a hard life, or have been mistreated…but, like people, some of them are just jerks. And some do it because they really are True Believers. Poe’s Law as applied to (putative) trolls; after some point I don’t care if someone is spewing their BS because they are simply trying to get a rise out of people, or if they truly believe it themselves-either way it is equally annoying, and equally deserving of the Ignore List. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/14 "2012-12-27T01:15:17Z")
1. Boredom and 2) loneliness combine to form a bitter compound that, when applied to a tech-savvy person, results in a troll 87.6% of the time. Take away one or the other, and you end up with insufficient time/motivation to troll. The best (or worst, depending on your perspective) career trolls are unemployed manchildren and lonely housewives–both groups of people have unfettered internet access and too much time on their hands. Normal people possess loving relationships and/or good jobs and hobbies. Thus, they don’t have time or energy left over for trolling. They may have enough time to get involved in petty bullshit online, like political bickering on facebook, but trolling is in a whole 'nother league. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/15 "2012-12-27T02:08:42Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > 1. Boredom and 2) loneliness combine to form a bitter compound that . . . > > \ > > Normal people possess loving relationships and/or good jobs and hobbies. So, bored lonely people who lack loving relationships, jobs, and hobbies are abnormal, and are guilty of likely being trolls. **R** , that’s harsh. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/16 "2012-12-27T02:23:44Z")
Some trolls might have mental problems but most of them are just doing it for shits and giggles. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/17 "2012-12-27T02:24:52Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Personality disorder. We’ve seen if before many times. I suggest therapy. I’d call it a personality trait for most of them. It only becomes a personality disorder if it causes the person doing it significant dysfunction in their own lives. It may annoy other people, but that’s not the criteria for diagnosing a disorder. Most of these traits (and disorders) are resistant to therapy, including medication. Therapy can help if the person truly wants to change. But most don’t. QtM, who has more personality disordered patients than you can shake a stick at. Even a small stick. (My serial killer patients are less annoying, I’ll admit. Those you can shake a stick at, though.) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/18 "2012-12-27T03:15:01Z")
Does the OP have a specific experience he/she would like to get off their chest? > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > QtM, who has more personality disordered patients than you can shake a stick at. …if that’s your idea of fun. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/19 "2012-12-27T03:17:00Z")
I like to argue and I don’t take myself too seriously. That makes me a troll. I don’t think it makes me mentally ill or socially inept. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225/20 "2012-12-27T03:30:25Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > I like to argue and I don’t take myself too seriously. That makes me a troll. I don’t think it makes me mentally ill or socially inept. I don’t see how you can use just two traits to define trolling. You’d have to add a few others like saying you like to be a jerk or you want to piss people off just to annoy them. Not saying you do. Just pointing out that you would have to include those other traits before you could really consider yourself to be a troll. And stating that displaying socially inept behavior like trolling doesn’t make you socially inept just doesn’t make sense. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-troll-message-boards-and-forums/645225.md?page=2)