Just What is a Troll Anyways (Tizzidale versus Powell) commentary

[dizzle]

Okay this thread is for commentary on the debate between Tizzidale and Powell on Trolldom located here:

http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?postid=33804#post33804


Bottles are prohibited, face paint is encouraged.

Please note that debate participants are not permitted to post in the comments thread for their particular debates until such debate is over. At that time, they are free to post and address any spectator commentary that they choose.

[dizzle]

I for one am immensely enjoying this conversation. It is very interesting. And I am not trolling merely to get others to respond in this thread.

[Sher]

03-19-2003 @ 10:56 AM located here (http://www.theologyweb.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=39800#post39800)
Dee Dee Warren:

I for one am immensely enjoying this conversation. It is very interesting. And I am not trolling merely to get others to respond in this thread.

:rofl: :rofl:

[flipper]

The definition of a troller as being akin to the patient fishermen towing a brightly colored lure behind a boat is the correct one.

The ultimate usenet or forum troller will only need one post to create maximum discord and mayhem within a group, while simultaneously and subtly signalling to an informed observer that the post is a troll. The skill is in tipping off those in the know without frightening the fish. If someone spots you as a troll, you're pretty much done.

Some techniques include plausible hoaxing, red-flag posts, credibility building activities. On Usenet, another popular troll-like activity would be cross-posting the controversial post to groups with diametrically opposed views to start cross-newsgroup battles, and cross-posting to groups that would appear to lack any relevance to the debate in hand.

A good troll should not have to keep the fires created by that first decloaking post stoked. Following up to your own post is okay, but a really good one should be kept burning by its angry participants.

So an example of a good troll would be to post an honest request for help in rec.pets.cats (while also simultaneously crossposting to alt.archaeology) claiming to be quite a wealthy amateur egyptologist who has bought a plot of land at his local cemetary, and is planning an Egyptian-themed mausoleum. You have a 15 cats who you love, and would want to have buried with you when you died. You're looking for information on how the Egyptians mummified cats, personal experiences anyone might have with mummification, and what the local laws are on having your cats put to sleep and buried with you.

Another good troll (this time, in the form of a web page) is the bonsai kittens page (www.bonsaikitten.com, I think).

Cat lovers are really easy targets for trollers because invariably, cat aficionadoes to a man seem to lack any kind of a sense of humor or sense of irony. Well, I say "to a man", but most of them are women. Probably sad, lonely ones who use cats as a substitute for real human interaction.

Real men don't much care for cats.

[jpholding]

And all this time I was thinking trolls were mythical creatures living under bridges. :hrm:

[dizzle]

Now that the debate is over, the participants are free to post in this commentary thread.

[Joseph Alward]

JOE ALWARD
Readers in this forum may find interesting the description below of the personality disorder associated with serial bullying, which I consider to be one of the more insidious forms of cyberspace trolling. I am posting it in one or two other forums on the Theology Web, as well as to II-Errancy.

I've excerpted and adapted most of the comments below from the web site, "Serial Bullying," at http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/serial.htm

The serial bully is an individual to whom the source of dysfunction can be traced and whose profile is remarkably consistent. The serial bully…is humourless, disruptive, devious, manipulative, selfish, insensitive, insincere, insecure, immature - but always plausible.

Some of the more prominent characteristics of the serial bullying personality disorder, and the ones which I think apply well to the cyberspace serial bully are listed below:

1. Constant criticism, nit-picking, no empathy, control freak.

2. Possessed of an exceptional verbal facility and will outmaneuver most people in verbal interaction.

3. This sociopath shows an arrested level of emotional development; while language and intellect may appear to be that of an adult, the bully displays the emotional age of a five-year-old.

4. Is emotionally immature and emotionally untrustworthy.

5. Is self-opinionated and displays arrogance, audacity, a superior sense of entitlement and sense of invulnerability and untouchability.

6. Displays a compulsive need to criticize while simultaneously refusing to value, praise and acknowledge others, their achievements, or their existence.

7. Is evasive and has a Houdini-like ability to escape accountability.

8. Attempts to undermine and destroy anyone who the bully perceives to be an adversary, a potential threat, or who can see through the bully's mask.

9. Quick to belittle, undermine, denigrate and discredit anyone who calls, attempts to call, or might call the bully to account poisons peoples' minds by manipulating their perceptions.

10. When called upon to share or address the needs and concerns of others, responds with impatience, irritability and aggression.

11. Is arrogant, haughty, high-handed, and a know-all is mean-spirited, officious, and often unbelievably petty.

12. The serial bully often exhibits many of the characteristics of stalking, especially in the later phase of the bullying cycle. The target is bombarded with emails...

[Nowhere357]

flipper:
The definition of a troller as being akin to the patient fishermen towing a brightly colored lure behind a boat is the correct one.

Real men don't much care for cats.
What a pretty lure! Look at it, all sparkly and enticing! If I saw this in any other thread, I'd bite. Sheesh, I better go read the debate.

Real men don't troll. :teeth:

[Ignatius J. Reilly]

1. Constant criticism, nit-picking, no empathy, control freak.

2. Possessed of an exceptional verbal facility and will outmaneuver most people in verbal interaction.

3. This sociopath shows an arrested level of emotional development; while language and intellect may appear to be that of an adult, the bully displays the emotional age of a five-year-old.

4. Is emotionally immature and emotionally untrustworthy.

5. Is self-opinionated and displays arrogance, audacity, a superior sense of entitlement and sense of invulnerability and untouchability.

6. Displays a compulsive need to criticize while simultaneously refusing to value, praise and acknowledge others, their achievements, or their existence.

7. Is evasive and has a Houdini-like ability to escape accountability.

8. Attempts to undermine and destroy anyone who the bully perceives to be an adversary, a potential threat, or who can see through the bully's mask.

9. Quick to belittle, undermine, denigrate and discredit anyone who calls, attempts to call, or might call the bully to account poisons peoples' minds by manipulating their perceptions.

10. When called upon to share or address the needs and concerns of others, responds with impatience, irritability and aggression.

11. Is arrogant, haughty, high-handed, and a know-all is mean-spirited, officious, and often unbelievably petty.

12. The serial bully often exhibits many of the characteristics of stalking, especially in the later phase of the bullying cycle. The target is bombarded with emails...


Actually, I've never done the email stalking thing. :huh: