Definition of trolling

[farflungstar]

Can someone define this for me - and how we can spot it?

[Dynamics]

I think it gets mistaken for people who enter debates or arguments to challenge people, but then people get upset because they take the debate and argument personally, like people down a pub do when challenged on beliefs. They often get aggressive.

It's one thing to present a debate and give a view of someone, to a personal insult. I can say that view is ill educated etc, because that's my view, as papers do etc, but I can't call someone a Pratt or make a derogatory personal comment to them.

Sometimes people like a good debate or argument, it's just some don't want to give their money's worth. That's fine but if you don't want to defend yourself in such a debate because you may get offended, you stay out in the first place.

But trolling is where someone says people with mental health disorders are deficient and refers to someone as such, in a tacit or implied derogatory way. Or someone who refers to people who are gay in a derogatory way. What they are trying to do is drum up support for others to object.

But I actually think far worse is someone who comes up with an opinion but doesn't support it, they are trying to provoke that person into offending another or themselves, so everyone who then takes offence, jumps on each other's backs.

[farflungstar]

Like honey to the bee

[Dynamics]

Like honey to the bee

I apologise if my remarks caused you offence in the bombing thread but your views are very poor on that thread, in my view, and I should be able to say that. I should be able to shoot down very ill thought out comments.

But I'd question what point you are making by posting "like honey to a bee", because it's not for you, but for other people to latch onto. And then that is an element to trolling. I'm raising this as it's part of this thread and you invited the discussion. Regards

[Marco]

I apologise if my remarks caused you offence in the bombing thread but your views are very poor on that thread, in my view, and I should be able to say that. I should be able to shoot down very ill thought out comments.

No you can't, certainly not in the way you're suggesting. For starters, the language "shoot down" has all the wrong connotations for engaging someone in friendly debate, as its aggressive stance suggests you're somehow 'at war'.

See my reply to you, on this subject, on the Manchester bombing thread.

But I'd question what point you are making by posting "like honey to a bee", because it's not for you, but for other people to latch onto. And then that is an element to trolling. I'm raising this as it's part of this thread and you invited the discussion.

On that I'd have to agree. Adrian, could you please clarify your reasons for starting this thread? If it was simply to have a dig at Simon, as 'afters' from the Manchester bombing thread, then I'm afraid that you yourself are trolling, and as such, the thread serves no constructive purpose, so will be locked.

Marco.

[TazSob]

If you enjoy watching south park there's a few episodes in which they explain very well what a troll is.
When I was younger it was something that lived under bridges but now it's considered someone who hides behind a computer screen in complete anonymity and takes digs on people they deem less. It's like a cyber bully, calling people names and picking out insecurities to make another user feel like they don't belong or similar.

[walpurgis]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolling_(fishing)

Well to be fair, you didn't say internet trolling!

[Dynamics]

No you can't, certainly not in the way you're suggesting. For starters, the language "shoot down" has all the wrong connotations for engaging someone in friendly debate, as its aggressive stance suggests you're somehow 'at war'.

See my reply to you, on this subject, on the Manchester bombing thread.



On that I'd have to agree. Adrian, could you please clarify your reasons for starting this thread? If it was simply to have a dig at Simon, as 'afters' from the Manchester bombing thread, then I'm afraid that you yourself are trolling, and as such, the thread serves no constructive purpose, so will be locked.

Marco.

Well I could use another word and it wasn't intended to be aggressive. Apologies if this wording was considered so. But stating shoot down conveys the level of feeling I have to the point when he was saying we blame others for murderous terrorist activity, and I'd raised the point if we did he would be apologising for it, due to individual responsibility and rule of law. He didn't want to acknowledge that point. I really find people who blame others for this activity, quite appalling. Can you imagine someone saying that to a victims relation. This has no reality to the situation.

[Joe]

Can someone define this for me - and how we can spot it?

Sure, no probs. AIUI, trolling is expressing a view that one doesn't necessarily hold in an online forum with the intention of evoking extreme reactions. An example (though too blatant to succeed) would be to go on to a MUFC forum and say 'all MUFC fans are idiots'. At some point, after multiple expressions of outrage, someone will post 'Stop feeding the troll, FFS!', which will start another debate as to whether it's best to ignore or confront trolls. This is not the same as online bullying, though the word 'trolling' is sometimes used to describe it.

Sometimes trolls will use deliberately poor language and/or grammar to hook in pedants and tangle them up in pointless discussions about spelling, apostrophes, split infinitives and such like.

[farflungstar]

Sure, no probs. AIUI, trolling is expressing a view that one doesn't necessarily hold in an online forum with the intention of evoking extreme reactions. An example (though too blatant to succeed) would be to go on to a MUFC forum and say 'all MUFC fans are idiots'. At some point, after multiple expressions of outrage, someone will post 'Stop feeding the troll, FFS!', which will start another debate as to whether it's best to ignore or confront trolls. This is not the same as online bullying, though the word 'trolling' is sometimes used to describe it.

Sometimes trolls will use deliberately poor language and/or grammar to hook in pedants and tangle them up in pointless discussions about spelling, apostrophes, split infinitives and such like.

Thank you .... I now understand a few things more clearly.