Trolls

[dbtng_thomas]

I know two things about trolls.

1. The person who wins an argument on the internet is the one who quits posting first.

2. Don't feed them.

In order to use this advice and deal with trolls in an effective and timely fashion, one has to adopt an armor of suspicion. We come here for the exact opposite; we come here for acceptance and free discussion.

To add to the difficulty for us, not only does suspicion clearly subvert what we find most beneficial in this forum, using suspicion with restraint and tact takes some practice and may not come easily to an INTP.

It doesn't matter. The internet has clearly found us. I did some looking around. We aren't currently targeted for any raids by ebaums or 4chan, but if we go on being such suckers, we will soon find out what it's like to deal with hundreds of trolls at once.

My point? We, as individuals and as a group, need to learn 'troll skills'. It shouldn't require a mod to ban a troll. If we treat trolls according to the value of the input they provide, they will get no fun out of the game. Give it some thought. What's your opinion?

- dt

 

[Lyra]

I think genuine through-and-through 'trolls' are quite rare here. In the vast majority of cases, the term is misapplied to those who simply haven't presented themselves well or aren't behaving in a likable way. In that degraded usage, it's little more than a pejorative and unintelligent signifier for a person who isn't empathised with or is seen as an outsider.

Attempting to empathetically analyse the extensionally unique nature of any one poster (who might otherwise be labeled a 'troll') is generally much more fruitful than the base suspicion you're advocating, and has the potential to help many of those posters learn a more heartfelt and productive way of communicating. Once you've labeled somebody so superficially and dispassionately-- and thus prevented them from being perceived as a whole, complex human being-- they have little motivation not to indulge their own pathology and thus conform to your pejorative labels. The suspicion which your post is an example of, if more widespread here, would infect the beautiful and rare culture of this forum with an ugliness that permeates most of the internet. As long as there aren't any full-out raids, it's workable; how we're doing things already is optimal. Sure, effort may be wasted and some otherwise unnecessary upset may be experienced-- but that's a much smaller price than the price paid for dehumanising hurt or damaged or different individuals with the stupid label 'troll'.

I know that because I've been labeled that way, and because I know that another kind of treatment-- an attempt at direct engagement with me and my complexity, and my genuine humanity-- would have saved the forum months of strife. I'm not apportioning any blame by saying that. It's simply a heartfelt conviction. I don't want another hurt and lonely individual to experience the same, or to cause the same strife and pain in reciprocation for not being understood... for being boxed into an inhuman and ugly role ('troll') because of their problems, from which they would escape if they knew how.

Honestly, the moment I see somebody talking about 'trolls' without qualification is the moment I lose respect for their intellect. It indicates an utter absence of genuine insight into how people work.

 

[Fukyo]

We have threads on the subject of 'troll education'. Probably several in fact.

 

[dbtng_thomas]

Fukyo, I've been gone a while. I did look back but didn't see anything. I'll do some reading.

(Edit: Couldn't find those threads. Link plz?)

- dt

 

[cheese]

I think genuine through-and-through 'trolls' are quite rare here. In the vast majority of cases, the term is misapplied to those who simply haven't presented themselves well or aren't behaving in a likable way. In that degraded usage, it's little more than a pejorative and unintelligent signifier for a person who isn't empathised with or is seen as an outsider.

Attempting to empathetically analyse the extensionally unique nature of any one poster (who might otherwise be labeled a 'troll') is generally much more fruitful than the base suspicion you're advocating, and has the potential to help many of those posters learn a more heartfelt and productive way of communicating. Once you've labeled somebody so superficially and dispassionately-- and thus prevented them from being perceived as a whole, complex human being-- they have little motivation not to indulge their own pathology and thus conform to your pejorative labels. The suspicion which your post is an example of, if more widespread here, would infect the beautiful and rare culture of this forum with an ugliness that permeates most of the internet. As long as their aren't any full-out raids, it's workable; how we're doing things already is optimal. Sure, effort may be wasted and some otherwise unnecessary upset may be experienced-- but that's a much smaller price than the price paid for dehumanising hurt or damaged or different individuals with the stupid label 'troll'.

This is basically what I said in defence of Face, last year, but with many more superfluous words and qualifications. It's always such a relief to find one's thoughts worded in a directly accessible manner.

I could be totally mistaken in all my opinions about posters and how to deal with the problematic ones (however that's defined), but I'm just happy to note this improved version of my argument.

 

[Kuu]

It doesn't matter. The internet has clearly found us. I did some looking around.

Care to elaborate on that?

 

[dbtng_thomas]

Hello Kuu

Honestly, I'm scared to spend time actually reading 4chan. Too much CP. I used Google and Encyclopedia Dramatica as my information sources.

- dt

 

[Adymus]

The people who are currently being accused of trolling are not Trolls in the usual sense. A troll is someone who intentionally causes discord, simply for their own amusement.

These ones are causing discord with the intentions of doing us some kind of favor. That is not necessarily any better than just being a flat out troll, but you should at least know that their motives are meant to be something positive.

 

[dbtng_thomas]

Thank you, Adymus. I'm not pointing out any specific individuals, nor do I recommend action against anyone. My suggestion is that we simply ignore someone who is acting like they should be ignored. Perhaps this suggestion is inappropriate; I don't know. I felt that it could at least use some discussion.

- dt

 

[Anthile]

The people who are currently being accused of trolling are not Trolls in the usual sense. A troll is someone who intentionally causes discord, simply for their own amusement.

These ones are causing discord with the intentions of doing us some kind of favor. That is not necessarily any better than just being a flat out troll, but you should at least know that their motives are meant to be something positive.

That's why I divide those people into two categories: Intentional trolls, who do it for the lulz, and unintentional trolls, who go together with Anthile's 5th law: "Any sufficient advanced conviction is indistinguishable from trolling".

 

[BigApplePi]

I see two ways to look at trolls. One is who they are. What do they want? Attention? Distraction? Some odd destination? Look at their character as people as Lyra so aptly put it (paraphrase). After all we do not know a troll is a troll unless it's proven. Until then it's just name-calling.

The other is how do they affect us? If they become a distraction, a distraction that can't, after some effort be dealt with, then the only remedy is to ignore them. That has to be a joint effort not easily accomplished as the troll specializes in defeating it.

 

[Anthile]

How would you prove that somebody is a troll? It's not that there is an International League of Trolling with headquarters in Sweden that gives out membership cards. No troll would ever admit that he's a troll unless he's 'done' with his work and leaves.
The very nature of trolling is to be a nuisance without breaking the rules because if the troll breaks the rules, he loses. However, that concept is not new. You will often hear phrases similar to "There totally should be a law against douchebaggery!". Of course, the state can't and shouldn't intervene here. Online forums are different. For some strange reason, people believe they have the same rights here as in every other public place. But forums aren't public places, they are private. Being here is a privilege and just because you can come and go at any time doesn't mean you have a right to be here. It's the job of the staff to determine the thin line between bad attitude and trolling - and it's always subjective.

 

[EditorOne]

"A troll is someone who intentionally causes discord, simply for their own amusement."


Often by employing gratuitous unpleasantness and insufferable condescension. Ignoring them is best.

 

[BigApplePi]

How would you prove that somebody is a troll? It's not that there is an International League of Trolling with headquarters in Sweden that gives out membership cards. No troll would ever admit that he's a troll unless he's 'done' with his work and leaves.

There are those who will give themselves that label. I knew such a one. He was popular indeed with some and not with others. No one, absolutely no one was neutral. He was definitely NOT an INTP. ENTJ almost certainly.

The very nature of trolling is to be a nuisance without breaking the rules because if the troll breaks the rules, he loses.

Right.

Online forums are different. For some strange reason, people believe they have the same rights here as in every other public place. But forums aren't public places, they are private. Being here is a privilege and just because you can come and go at any time doesn't mean you have a right to be here. It's the job of the staff to determine the thin line between bad attitude and trolling - and it's always subjective.

Right again.

 

[fullerene]

That was a very good Anthile-post

 

[EditorOne]

Anthile: "Online forums are different. For some strange reason, people believe they have the same rights here as in every other public place. But forums aren't public places, they are private. Being here is a privilege and just because you can come and go at any time doesn't mean you have a right to be here. It's the job of the staff to determine the thin line between bad attitude and trolling - and it's always subjective. "

Yup. When I had monitoring duties over our newspaper's online forum, I'd repeatedly explain to people that no, it wasn't their freedom of speech being denied them, because only a government can do that. I was more like a bouncer throwing annoying drunks and obnoxious bores out of a bar because they were interfering with other customer's ability to enjoy themselves. It is not a perfect analogy, but it really struck a useful chord with a great many of our forum users who, as in this place, enjoyed camaraderie and a respite from the everyday world.
We also had a special rule to cover those kinds of subjective things you mentioned: You could get thrown out for "being tiresome." Other sites I've seen spell it out in greater detail, ie, repeatedly posting the same thing or derailing every thread with the same agenda, but "being tiresome" really does get the idea across.

And if you are a troll, it is usually kind of hard to deny that you're being tiresome. Repeatedly getting into everyone's face "for their own good?" That gets old really quickly.

 

[Hawkeye]

and the troll discussions still continue - hehe

I'll never understand why people get so riled up about trolls. If anything this increases my love for them. Watching someone build up in anger and then blindly falling into the trap set by the troll is quite amusing. Especially when it affects people you don't normally see getting annoyed.

If you need a troll breaking down ask for me xD

I broke Venture to the point where he banned me from contacting him. Although technically he wasn't a troll. He just had many troll-isms about his persona

I am the troll of trolls - or am I? ^^

 

[Anthile]

And while we're on it: http://www.cracked.com/funny-3809-internet-argument-techniques/


It makes also an excellent drinking game.

 

[LifeLine]

Trolls are awesome (don't ban me!). In moderation, they can be very humorous to read and they lighten up the forum mood. Who can resist a good joke. The problem is when the trolls multiply or start harassing the other users.

Its like having a pet mouse. One is a buddy who crawls on your shoulder, thirty is enough to call the exterminator.

 

[walfin]

Being here is a privilege and just because you can come and go at any time doesn't mean you have a right to be here.

I don't care if anyone calls me a troll or not, this is the worst possible thing to say.

I'd wager many people don't know how horrible this is until they have seen it in real life. When everything is a privilege and nothing is a right. So what if this is an online forum? The toll it takes on your emotions can be pretty big too. Granted, there aren't consequences in real life from banning or being ostracised, but it can still hurt pretty bad. Considering that a good number of INTPs (I believe) are already outcasts in real life, can you imagine how horrible it is for someone to feel that s/he is an outcast even among outcasts?

I think a distinction has to be drawn between the substance of an opinion and methods used to propagate it. Advocating controversial opinions is fine. Spamming/hacking etc is not. This is one of the areas where I think form matters more than substance. The rest of the forum should just not get so worked up about opinions which they may find extreme etc. If you don't like something, ignore it, don't go around calling for a ban, and don't go around accusing people of "trolling", etc.

But thankfully there hasn't been much of that here, unlike at INTPc where there was a show trial every so often, and it was accepted that "the forum is not a democracy".

Anyway I'm happy to have banned members come back under different usernames, if they play by the rules and do not out themselves (because show trials are stupid and upsetting).

 

[Black Rose]

But thankfully there hasn't been much of that here, unlike at INTPc where there was a show trial every so often, and it was accepted that "the forum is not a democracy".

It was horrible there. Twice some one told me.

Occam's razor says no.

Instead of takings my arguments into consideration.

 

[s0nystyle]

I don't care if anyone calls me a troll or not, this is the worst possible thing to say.

I'd wager many people don't know how horrible this is until they have seen it in real life. When everything is a privilege and nothing is a right. So what if this is an online forum? The toll it takes on your emotions can be pretty big too. Granted, there aren't consequences in real life from banning or being ostracised, but it can still hurt pretty bad. Considering that a good number of INTPs (I believe) are already outcasts in real life, can you imagine how horrible it is for someone to feel that s/he is an outcast even among outcasts?

I think a distinction has to be drawn between the substance of an opinion and methods used to propagate it. Advocating controversial opinions is fine. Spamming/hacking etc is not. This is one of the areas where I think form matters more than substance. The rest of the forum should just not get so worked up about opinions which they may find extreme etc. If you don't like something, ignore it, don't go around calling for a ban, and don't go around accusing people of "trolling", etc.

But thankfully there hasn't been much of that here, unlike at INTPc where there was a show trial every so often, and it was accepted that "the forum is not a democracy".

Anyway I'm happy to have banned members come back under different usernames, if they play by the rules and do not out themselves (because show trials are stupid and upsetting).

speak only for yourself

 

[BigApplePi]

I think a distinction has to be drawn between the substance of an opinion and methods used to propagate it.

Agreed. Anything that denies the presentation of an opinion is drawn into question.

 

[Jennywocky]

I don't care if anyone calls me a troll or not, this is the worst possible thing to say.

I'd wager many people don't know how horrible this is until they have seen it in real life. When everything is a privilege and nothing is a right. So what if this is an online forum? The toll it takes on your emotions can be pretty big too. Granted, there aren't consequences in real life from banning or being ostracised, but it can still hurt pretty bad. Considering that a good number of INTPs (I believe) are already outcasts in real life, can you imagine how horrible it is for someone to feel that s/he is an outcast even among outcasts?

I empathize with your viewpoint, but in general as a mod elsewhere one thing we've slowly agreed on is that the forum is not some sort of tool for group therapy.

It's a community, so people get the benefits of being part of it but also have a responsibility to the community.

If someone repeatedly can't toe the line or is abusing their freedom within the community, then their freedom gets temporarily curtailed, and eventually removed entirely. Predators should not be allowed to prey on valuable community members just because they did not get enough hugs when they were growing up.

However:

I think a distinction has to be drawn between the substance of an opinion and methods used to propagate it. Advocating controversial opinions is fine. Spamming/hacking etc is not. This is one of the areas where I think form matters more than substance. The rest of the forum should just not get so worked up about opinions which they may find extreme etc. If you don't like something, ignore it, don't go around calling for a ban, and don't go around accusing people of "trolling", etc.

Yes, it's about HOW someone interacts. Forums are private enterprises, typically, so they DO have the right to limit/curtail some topics of discussion, but in general it's usually not the ideas someone is sharing but how they share it that is disruptive and breaks down community.

You can vehemently disagree with someone, yet still interact in a respectful manner. I think this is what should be encouraged.

But thankfully there hasn't been much of that here, unlike at INTPc where there was a show trial every so often, and it was accepted that "the forum is not a democracy".

Well, I know some of the mod staff there, and very much trust a few of them; and the "show trials" were usually generated by Hustler and other members... if someone got banned after such a thread, in general it was more because the staff had already seen the issue and felt it was the best solution already. (Remember that you do not see everything the mod staff sees and knows.)

I think it's hard to get banned from INTPc unless you fit a particular profile -- sort of the outspoken weenie who continuously promotes irrational ideas and/or is just trying to cause trouble and is a general pissant. (Remember ChristopherL?) There's a lot of bitching about non-INTP members sometimes, and people really can lay into each other, but how many of those result in bans? Most of the banned people seem to identify as INTP, and they are judged accordingly.

Anyway I'm happy to have banned members come back under different usernames, if they play by the rules and do not out themselves (because show trials are stupid and upsetting).

I think they need to discuss it with mod staff and be totally transparent to them, etc., if they want that privilege back after abusing it so harshly before. That's a sign of penance and change.

 

[Claverhouse]

But thankfully there hasn't been much of that here, unlike at INTPc where there was a show trial every so often, and it was accepted that "the forum is not a democracy"..

Oddly enough, I was responsible for inserting that doctrine both into INTPc and into this forum's rationale.

It was the fact that this basic anti-democratic law was slowly destroyed there that led to group-think and 'show trials': when control is seized by packs, packs fight for control.

However, the alternate danger of oligarchy is rather minimized here by every admin being autonomous and unchallengable by any other admin --- each can go no further and so there is no point in power games or conflict in the mod-box.

Another difference from there --- and I would emphasize I am fond of the time I spent at INTPc and have no regrets, added to which I have no reason to dislike it presently: we even link to there ---- is that here people can say whatever the hell they want, only manners matter, which again is due to no democracy. In regimes devoted to the Will of the People, opinions the Will of the People finds antithetical are suppressed as odious and dangerous to the Will of the People.

As Jerome K. Jerome remarked on American democracy back in the day...

Every man in America is free to do as he darn well pleases so long as, for twenty-four hours a day, he does what everybody else is doing. Every man in America is free to speak his mind so long as he shouts with the crowd. He has not even Mr. Pickwick’s choice of choosing his crowd. In America there is but one crowd. Every man in America has the right to think for himself so long as he thinks what he is told.


​

Claverhouse

 

[walfin]

It was the fact that this basic anti-democratic law was slowly destroyed there that led to group-think and 'show trials': when control is seized by packs, packs fight for control.

However, the alternate danger of oligarchy is rather minimized here by every admin being autonomous and unchallengable by any other admin --- each can go no further and so there is no point in power games or conflict in the mod-box.

Sounds like a Kritarchy.

Don't know, but I think allowing a large number of members to go against a banning is fine, but not the other way around.

I think it's hard to get banned from INTPc unless you fit a particular profile -- sort of the outspoken weenie who continuously promotes irrational ideas and/or is just trying to cause trouble and is a general pissant. (Remember ChristopherL?) There's a lot of bitching about non-INTP members sometimes, and people really can lay into each other, but how many of those result in bans? Most of the banned people seem to identify as INTP, and they are judged accordingly.

I have nothing against INTPc. My account there is still accessible (just checked yesterday ).

I just happened to see a few people being put into Purgatory after committing some offence of which they were not sure of themselves, and some others banned for offending the majority of the community when they could have been Ignored (e.g. Evignus), and a "let's block people (mainly n00bs) from doing x, y, z, until they prove themselves" kind of undercurrent. Granted, someone who went to purgatory for 6 months actually became a mod, but it just felt...ugh (especially since there were people, a minority, no doubt, who seemed to find things like that amusing, kind of seemed like bullying). I just do not like the prevailing feeling of, for lack of a suitable English word, disrajteco (maybe entitlement-elimination/dispersal-ness?).

Not that I would actually mind all that much if I was banned from an Internet forum (no real ramifications after all) or put into the sandbox-forum, but some people might go cut themselves or something.

But I agree that a forum is not a place for group therapy unless that is its intended purpose, and "no hugs while growing up" is no excuse for compelling people to hug you (or ).

Anyway yours and Claverhouse's posts are good examples of disagreeing civilly.

 

[Jennywocky]

I just happened to see a few people being put into Purgatory after committing some offence of which they were not sure of themselves, and some others banned for offending the majority of the community when they could have been Ignored (e.g. Evignus), and a "let's block people (mainly n00bs) from doing x, y, z, until they prove themselves" kind of undercurrent. Granted, someone who went to purgatory for 6 months actually became a mod, but it just felt...ugh (especially since there were people, a minority, no doubt, who seemed to find things like that amusing, kind of seemed like bullying). I just do not like the prevailing feeling of, for lack of a suitable English word, disrajteco (maybe entitlement-elimination/dispersal-ness?).

Well, don't get me wrong -- I've definitely seen mob mentality at work there. I tend to not like pervasive ugliness, where the accused is getting lobbed with rotten vegetables and rocks, and sometimes I think that happens and have WATCHED it happened. Usually the victim "deserves" reprisal at some level, but the response is extreme; it's potentially also a hazing ritual and only some people push forward at that point.

I tend to consider INTPc a unique environment, it's more an INTP-eat-INTP world there and everyone's expected to either rise to the occasion or bail out. It's no secret that it's a refuge for INTPs who have felt like society regularly excludes them, and so this is their domain and the rest of the world can phuque oph, so to speak.

I found it an interesting comparison with this site which also brands itself "INTP", as it tends to have a lot more civility governing the interactions than the rough-and-tumble atmosphere over there.

 

[Claverhouse]

Sounds like a Kritarchy.

I had to look that up. However, I would suggest we really function as a Kittenocracy.

Depending upon mood, admin-kittens may be each intensely watching, playing with wool, staring into a corner, brooding upon the cosmos, pining for something or sleeping, etc.. However they are entirely free to act as they wish, without malice and expected to play nice with the clientele.

In an inversion of the regular top down mode, admins here are not a superior class, ruling as an elite --- and it is not a privilege to be a mod or admin, nor awarded as such, least of all to friends and good fellows... ---- more like underground workers just making sure the city keeps working. The model is Auftragstaktik: each is trusted to do as he or she chooses to achieve balance.


Still, although violently opposed to democracy in life and in fora, whilst I am in politics a strict legitimist monarchist, that's just for real life, not for any other sphere where it does not apply: nothing is more embarrassing than one-man forums, either those devoted to one personality or those dominated and heavily controlled by a single person.

I just happened to see a few people being put into Purgatory

I created Purgatory also... *sighs*




Claverhouse

 

[Jennywocky]

So what WAS your role specifically in the history there, Clav?

Bumping into you here was like bumping into a legend, honestly... I heard tons about you when I joined that site four years ago but had no clue where on earth you had gotten to... well, until recently.

 

[Claverhouse]

Just joined there as part of the second generation before it moved from Forumer on to vBulletin software --- lightspeed, as Utopmk was one of the first generation --- NGene, the Finnish Foundress left her creation soon after: which seemed a puzzle at the time...

Around early 2005 (?) there was a bit of a mass hysterical bullying spree and because I was anti-bullying and not worried about popularity ( most INTPs admins hated conflict ) Shaytana the vivicious Chief Admin selected to get me made mod against the wishes of the other admins --- there was a strict class divide between admins, the field-marshals, and mods, the NCOs, and members, the penal brigade; and for a year as the only mod I did quite a bit of the work with her support, logging on every day to scan the boards, skim most posts and mediate unhappiness. I wouldn't do that again... If I wanted to ban even the merest troll I had to request an admin, and my sole complaint is that they didn't give a mod-panel, but it was an excellent introduction to moderating forums and I enjoyed it.

At the same time I was struggling to get more fellow mods and finding those I managed to get on board either averse to modding or hampered by the class divide; investigating several 'anti-forums' set up to counter INTPc ( not as rivals, but to take over the flows of discourse etc. ); fighting some admins ( who were/are all charming as people ): until I finally was made an admin. And maintaining a high posting rate, as it was quite stimulating there.

However, it got less stimulating, and new management made changes I disagreed with in the populist direction, so one day, with a single witness, without warning, I logged on to the admin panel and de-adminned myself. Then after a coupla months, modding ( I had refused an adminship ) their new daughter forum --- can't remember the name, but the same old problems were there --- I never once went back to either place.


In 2007, lightspeed had the idea for this place -- not as a rival forum, but as a quieter, more introverted alternative --- and he and Ragnar started it. I was to be supermod so I agreed. Then various commitments to clinical depression called, and INTPf was left in the hands of Chief Admin loveofreason to mould and nurture --- she did a pretty good job too.


But any lingering dislike of INTPc or of anyone there vanished soon after I left: don't want to be there, but I'm glad it exists for those who like it.




Especially the trolls.





Claverhouse

 

[BigApplePi]

Well, don't get me wrong -- I've definitely seen mob mentality at work there. I tend to not like pervasive ugliness, where the accused is getting lobbed with rotten vegetables and rocks, and sometimes I think that happens and have WATCHED it happened. Usually the victim "deserves" reprisal at some level, but the response is extreme; it's potentially also a hazing ritual and only some people push forward at that point.

I tend to consider INTPc a unique environment, it's more an INTP-eat-INTP world there and everyone's expected to either rise to the occasion or bail out. It's no secret that it's a refuge for INTPs who have felt like society regularly excludes them, and so this is their domain and the rest of the world can phuque oph, so to speak.

I found it an interesting comparison with this site which also brands itself "INTP", as it tends to have a lot more civility governing the interactions than the rough-and-tumble atmosphere over there.

This forum has many threads, categorized fortunately. Seems there is something for everyone here. But sometimes a thread can have a corrupting theme ... as I believe you are talking about. Like a cancer it cannot easily be contained. Such occurrences are NOT confined to a forum like INTPc. There are many many other bulletin boards with all kinds of temperaments that carry on banning campaigns and other violations. INTPs do not do well there.

 

[walfin]

This forum has many threads, categorized fortunately. Seems there is something for everyone here. But sometimes a thread can have a corrupting theme ... as I believe you are talking about. Like a cancer it cannot easily be contained. Such occurrences are NOT confined to a forum like INTPc. There are many many other bulletin boards with all kinds of temperaments that carry on banning campaigns and other violations. INTPs do not do well there.

I tend to think INTPs do better in a more laid back atmosphere, where we are not required to be on our guard all the time. It's very tiring.

Oh, and I think the daughter forum that Claverhouse was referring to was MBTIc.

About the OP, I also think I do not come here to win arguments, but just to talk. It is nice to hear and be able to voice controversial opinions which are not often heard IRL.

 

[Reluctantly]

This thread makes me think I'm a troll. My powers must be weakening.

Into exile, I must go. Failed, I have...

 

[Dr. Freeman]

 

[socialexpat]

 

[Dr. Freeman]

Object lesson.

 

[Causeless]

It's not that there is an International League of Trolling with headquarters in Sweden that gives out membership cards.

Yet.

 

[cheese]

I don't understand why Cory was banned. I'm assuming it's because he was considered a troll? But what led to that conclusion? I'm baffled. He just seemed a bit clueless, occasionally.

 

[BigApplePi]

I don't understand why Cory was banned. I'm assuming it's because he was considered a troll? But what led to that conclusion? I'm baffled. He just seemed a bit clueless, occasionally.

cheese. Didn't he just return a few days ago? He seemed a rather open viewed guy. Did he present something out of bounds? Don't know. Are you sure he's banned?

 

[cheese]

It says 'banned' under his username and he hasn't been posting in any threads. People are talking about his banning in his most recent, re-introductory thread.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Why do I do it for the lulz?

Cause that's how I troll.

 

[Minuend]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLEo7H9tqSM

 

[BigApplePi]

I wouldn't mess with trolls if I were you. Creeping under your skin is nothing. Being eaten from behind is nothing. Having a bag thrown over your head and being dragged away is nothing. They are beyond terror. Other than that I wouldn't be concerned.

 

[BigApplePi]

It says 'banned' under his username and he hasn't been posting in any threads. People are talking about his banning in his most recent, re-introductory thread.

Yes I saw that too late to withdraw my post. I would have attempted a rescue but now the fear of trolls is so overpowering. I hope the talking you mention is not some unfounded gossip.

 

[Fukyo]

Why do I do it for the lulz?

Cause that's how I troll.

POSER

 

[IfloatTHRUlife]

Maybe i am the only one, but i love trolls, i just have one condition, that their trolling attempts are at least clever and humorous. Of course this is a lot to ask of your common troll, for they are quite feeble minded creatures, but on the rare occasion i come across a good troll all i have to say is Good show Mr. Troll, good show!

On warcraft most trolling attempts boil down to
"Did you guys hear? O_O Will Smith died in a car accident, it was just on CNN."
or
"Do you know why they call an xbox 360 an xbox 360? because as soon as you see one you do a 360 and walk away" Then when people are like "If you did a 360 you would still be looking at it? " and the troll will reply "You must not skateboard, everyone who skateboards knows what a 360 is"

Prettttty pathetic really

 

[BigApplePi]

Maybe i am the only one, but i love trolls, i just have one condition, that their trolling attempts are at least clever and humorous. Of course this is a lot to ask of your common troll, for they are quite feeble minded creatures, but on the rare occasion i come across a good troll all i have to say is Good show Mr. Troll, good show!

On warcraft most trolling attempts boil down to
"Did you guys hear? O_O Will Smith died in a car accident, it was just on CNN."

No. No. No. Trolls may love you, but beware. You are presupposing troll control. You cannot control a troll. You may deviate them, but they will turn you into a deviate.

Also the only trolls who are feeble-minded are the feeble-minded ones. The rest are not feeble-minded and may turn you upsidedown. That is not the best position to operate from. Just ask EyeSeeCold, but he may not want to reveal his secrets.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

POSER

 

[Fukyo]

 

[EyeSeeCold]