Why do trolls do what they do?

[Stereopony454 18]

Trolls (parasprites) do what they do because they are idiotic man-children who sadly have nothing better to do with their time and have to justify their self worth by trying to pointlessly anger &/or bully others.

 

....And because people just like to abuse the anonymity of the internet because humans by nature are arguably fairly immature/juvinile creatures.

 

And of course some people like to bash anything they dislike &/or don't understand.

[SugarSprinkledFox 69]

Because trolling is fun and you have little to no rules on the internet. People who troll find it amuzing how much it can piss people off, and it's easy to do so when it comes to fandoms.

[SBaby 660]

So I was flipping through pony videos today and I looked at a particular comment tree on a video that was the typical case of a brony trying to kill a troll. That's when i came across something I didn't understand.

 

I know somebody can answer this because I've heard stories of YT trolls converted to bronies...

 

What makes somebody who hates ponies want to go on pony YT videos and call people fags/retarded/female when there is no gain other than pissing people off and looking like a dumbass?

I don't quite understand this train of though could somebody with some experience explain?

 

It could be a number of reasons. They could legitimately hate the series and just want to mess with people because they're immature. Or it could be that they're just trying to stir up drama online because they have nothing better to do with their life.

 

OR (and I've seen this happen), it could be that they're a brony in the making, and they're just in denial (one out of every three haters eventually bronifies).

[Some_random_guy 1,857]

As someone who considers themselves a Half troll(I just do People on Omegle who ask ASL, People in Video games that do extremely bad things, Like camping, or or people who are just kinda stupid) I can tell you that 95% of people on Youtube that are "Trolls" aren't really. They are just idiots. With good Trolling you have to plan it out and make sure you are convincing not just be like "HERP DERP YOU SUCK AND I'ME D BEST. DERP HERP DERP YOU JUST GOT TROLLED !!11!!!11!!!11!!1!!11!!1"

[K3WRO 79]

Because it's fun to see butthurt people fighting an flamewars and being stupid, especially of YOU start it, but some trolls fail at their trolling (i.e. this is gay) because, a dumb, overused, uncreative troll comment can be easily killed with logic, of just to ignore, infact, that the best thing to do, ignore them. Use you energy for something else.

[HungryTroll 137]

For me there five different type of trolls:

1. Ones who cant understand that he can hurt some one by harsh words.

2. Who just love to see that they hurt someone - it gives them feeling of power.

3. Someone who have nothing to do, and really bored.

4. Ones who trying to deny that he loves something that he doesnt want to love (this one trolles them selves at first place).

5. Big creatures from scandinavian myths.

[ChaoticBrony 8]

Trolls will be trolls. My advice is to just ignore them. Trolls and Haters: Ignore them both. A troll/hater on bronyland called me a 'retard' because of the joke i made in a comic that was put up there. He called himself 'HunterOfBronies' and his URL was BroniesMustDie.com. Am I going to acknowledge someone like that and give him the satisfaction of knowing he thinks he got under my skin? No. And neither did anyone else in that forum. Now the only thing that sad, miserable person can do is sit and wonder if his antics even work. Who knows? Maybe if we take the fun out of being a hater, he'll go out and do something meaningful with his life.

[KakeiTheWolf 652]

Human psychology dictates it is most often a combination (in varying amounts) of the following:

 

A). Inner strife of any of many various sorts.

. The desire to get a reaction, and psychologically record how a person ticks.

C). Awkward shame concerning something close to the subject or pertaining directly to the subject about which they troll.

D). Mental frailty.

E). Exertion of either an inferiority complex by attacking a perceived superior group or a superiority complex by attacking those perceived weaker in order to maintain a dominant stance.

F). The perception that a perceived lack of self purpose is ameliorated by attempting to exacerbate the inner strife of others, giving a sense of accomplishment, albeit a warped one.

 

I've had many a chance to observe many types of trolls, most without judgment. Most of them are people either wanting shock value or are people with very significant and very complex life problems that eventually rotted their brain. I've realized that if you work with the second kind, show them kindness and mercy, you can guide them back to the right path.

 

I once knew a troll who would go between spamming nonsense like a fool, to the point they were among the most disrespected people, and speaking in immaculate grammar with absolute lucidity. I pondered the nature of this virtually bipolar troll, as they appeared to have no recollection of a single thing they did. After a long time talking to them and helping them process through stuff, they became better, and their troll side went away in time. They even became a moderator.

 

Do not hate trolls. Pity them. For even those looking for shock value are lost. But for those who aren't in it for kicks, show them understanding and compassion. Not because they do or do not deserve it, but because it is right.

[I used to be a stranger 7,989]

The danger of a troll can be as close as looking in a mirror.

 

Whenever there's an "Us and Them" mentality, someone will feel that they are justified to antagonize another party. Regardless if this justification is authentic or not, it's enough to provoke, and such provocation breeds strife. Anger causes anger, trolling causes trolling.

 

This is why even when faced with the opportunity, I will elect not to troll anyone.

[RippedOffMattress 314]

Some people are just internet sadists, and just love seeing people suffer online. I can be like that sometimes, mostly when the person(s) is/are just ASKING to be trolled.

[thegoodhen 698]

I don't know... Actually, I was contemplating writing in life advice... Because my "sis" (friend of mine who I REALLY care about) is a very hardcore troll. She has boyfriend, she is always very busy, she is extremely nice and polite irl, but... WHAT? WHY?

[Fubz 300]

I've mastered the art of trolling as well. Tends to be the best on Facebook though. It's so funny how much people get worked up over silly little things. I don't do that mean thing of stalking people and continually messaging them with "omg ur fat". That's quite unsophisticated and simple. You really need to get into character and make the person think your on their side then pull it around at the last second sending all the hate on them and they get mad but then all your on the right because it's only a little matter.

 

My personal favourite however is when you have a massive argument with someone and your at the peak of the argument, nobody can make a mistake in any way or else it would end, both the arguments are as strong as each other and there's a lot of insults and then you go: "Oh aye, your right. It's ok I believe you 100% I don't think your arguments are completely stupid and meaningless at all and I care so much about this topic." and just stop the discussion right there.

[Samurshy 708]

I will admit I have trolled, mainly little prepubescent buckwads on call of duty black ops. I would troll them with my mic and if the muted me, since I would be playing hardcore, I would block their character in a corner so they couldn't move and the only way for them to get past me is to kill me. I would do it over and over until they get kicked because they can only team kill 3 times. Once they got kicked they would send me angry messages that I would laugh at later. I did this because I thought it was funny, and this was before I was a brony. I have not done anything that mean in a while.

[One 498]

They are bored and try to annoy people, just ignore them and they will move on. Us trolls look for people that are easily annoyed and can get a reaction out of.

[Satsuki Kiryuin 1,154]

I believe that they're bored, and want something amusing to do, for most people being trolled usually get really "butthurt" and it is "funny". Or perhaps they have horrible lives, and they feel so angry they want to let it all out on others, who are happy.

[Lightning Fluttershy 1,844]

I don't mind trolls most of the time. I usually laugh at them. It's when I see people trolling non-stop. Like for example say one person trolls on a video and I just shrug it off and laugh but when I see like 12 comments on the same video of people trolling it gets on my nerves.

[Cakesplat 38]

People troll for the same reason some people like to poke beehives with a stick and run.

 

As someone who's had entire threads devolve into chaos over comments that weren't intended harmfully, I can see why some people might make a game out of it. Some people just go crazy over what they read online, and fandoms have a reputation for harboring people who can't just walk away from a comment they don't like if they can't argue it calmly.

Edited September 2, 2012 by Cakesplat

[Guest]

actually if anyone who has trolled you then they are winning by you getting annoyed over it they can't have their fun if no one comments but there are people who get so annoyed about it. unless you can counter troll then don't reply

[Fubz 300]

actually if anyone who has trolled you then they are winning by you getting annoyed over it they can't have their fun if no one comments but there are people who get so annoyed about it. unless you can counter troll then don't reply

 

Ohohohoh, counter trolling is another completely different level. It's extremely difficult P: Me and my friends counter trolled each other about 6 times in which one of my friends pretended to be me (using my facebook account [i gave him my pass]) and caused an argument but then my friends who were being trolled knew about this and went along with it, but then the first friend found out about that so he went along with it, then I realised I wasn't part of the trolling but could control it all. It was quite the trollception.

Turned out in the end with everyone being trolled except me. Mwajjjajjaja

 

Normal counter trolls however require a lot of support to work, or have to be a bit obvious because you're against another troll. So they don't care if they're trolled unless you can pull it off correctly by making them seem so little.

[Twiliscael 3,958]

Trolls are just there to piss people off. Like Evilshy said on the first page, there's two kinds of trolls. Smart trolls, who carefully and meticulously put themselves into a conversation and slowly piss people off until it's a giant ragefest. These trolls have my respect, they prove that trolling is an art. Then there's dumb trolls that comment on a video with "THIS IS GAY N ANYONE WHO LIKES IT IS GAY TOO!!!!" These people are annoying little bitches just trying to create controversy.

 

How do I know this? I am a troll. Ever trolled bronies on Omegle or XBL? Over protective responses are priceless. People need to stop being so defensive.

[HungryTroll 137]

Ah, I want to add something:

 

I love trolls, yes internet trolls.

1. They at least funny.

2. Then someone trying to insult something you like, it helps you to understand why you really like it. I've seen people who after troll's "MLP for gays!" answered something like "Thats not like I love mlp, It's just good show", but before that they shouted about how awesome it's to be a brony.

[Lucky Bolt 34,914]

It’s simple. They don’t have anything better to do with their lives. They’re bored. 

Although, that is no excuse to hate on and insult someone publicly. 

[Aqua The pegasus 69]

Personally I think it's because they know dragonborn is going to use a fire spell on them so they-- Oh because they want to be assholes I am pretty sure.

[Rebel the Wolfgirl 5,585]

As someone who used to be a troll himself (though nowadays, I'm much more of a sh*tposter and gadfly), I can easily tell you why trolls do what they do. They do it for their own amusement, others be damned.

[Twiggy 2,965]

I’ve always been hesitant to call the people OP described trolls. Imo they’re just assholes. Trolling is more trying to get a mass reaction. Trolling is going into a forum and, with a few well placed shitposts, throwing the forum into a massive chaotic flamewar. Trolling is more than calling someone gay on the computer. 

Trolling is an lost art.