The Reality Of Trolling.

[The Stranger 812]

Have you ever had one of those days where you’re simply minding your own business whether it’s on a community site on your computer or a video game system like Xbox and then suddenly that one person comes along that’s ready to ruin your day? How do you react to them when they start trying to attack your insecurities?  Do you rage back at them? Do you try to beat them at their own game by attacking back?  

 

We all run into this sort of person, that fact cannot be denied. In today’s society someone like that would be called a troll over the internet. I remember the days when I used the word troll to describe these nasty unkind folks and no one I came across knew what a troll was. Now everyone seems to know what the term troll means. Maybe the amount of trolls in the world has increased. But that’s not why I’ve created this thread. 

 

Next time some jerk comes along and tries to ruin your day instead of getting angry at them or try to stand up to them instead back up and collect your thoughts. Step back and think: “Why is this person acting this way? Why is this person going out of their way to hurt me emotionally?” What most of us fail to realize is that most of the trolls that come our way have a reason for acting so bitterly. No one has a perfect life; in fact most folks have gone through tough times.

 

Some people have horrible parents that treat them like dirt. Some people don’t even have parents. Others are going through financial issues while someone else has lost a family member or is going through a tough breakup with a lover. Think for a second, if you’re under enough stress and someone tries to interject or you pass by someone who’s doing something you don’t like don’t you snap at them? Don’t lie, you do.

 

Everyone has their issues and with enough stress, anger, sadness anyone can become a troll. So from now on when a troll comes your way ignore what he or she is trying to do and simply…forgive them. Understand that something has happened in their life to cause them enough pain to want to hurt someone else. Forgive and hope that one day whatever has caused them such sorrow and anger passes by so they can change for the better.

 

Has anyone here ever encountered a troll and handled the situation with maturity? I’d like to read your stories guys.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Mighty E.

[Sunnerino 182]

How can I run into that person if I am that person? And it's not like I troll random people, I troll douchebags who tend to insult literally everyone in a lobby, and they get mad over my trolling, and it's good because they deserve it.

[The Stranger 812]

How can I run into that person if I am that person? And it's not like I troll random people, I troll douchebags who tend to insult literally everyone in a lobby, and they get mad over my trolling, and it's good because they deserve it.

 

That's not a good reason. Anger brings on more anger, pain brings on more pain, spite brings on more spite. You cannot justify pain. If you go out of your way to hurt someone else because they've hurt you or someone else you're just as bad as them and your passing the hurt around. You're wrong to troll trolls but I've already forgiven you.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Mighty E.

[NightOwl 911]

Yeah I've ran into people like that on the internet unfortunately. I just ignore them and do my best not to let it get to me because that's what they want to happen. Best advice to anyone is just don't feed the trolls. 

[____ 156]

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Edited August 10, 2020 by ____

[Friendship_Cannon 1,676]

If it goes after that I have been trolled for 8 years in a row...

I do forgive those persons, I guess they just don´t know what they were doing. Thing is, I know many of them who didn´t have a hard time, who just did it for the fun. Of course I know a few who started it because of personal problems as well, but just as many do it because of boredom.

Boredom makes aggressive, it makes people act brutal, in psychically and physically ways...

And that I can´t forgive. Not on the Internet neither in real life. On the Internet it´s of course harder to tell what exactly is the matter, but it´s a question of being mature and getting your stuff together.

 

I have no mercy with trolls, not for a second. Having a perfect life is hard nowadays, society makes it hard, family makes it hard, oh boo-hoo. It still is what you make of it. If you try to find peace by being a troll you dig your own grave and don´t try to make things better.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Friendship_Cannon

[Justin ZW 396]

lol my favorite are the people who join a game of TDM, whine about "Aw, they stuck me on a shit team!" and then go 5 - 16.

 

(Talking about CoD trolls)

 

See, these are my favorite. And yes, I'm just going to share a CoD experience, considering I play all the time. I like to counter-troll these people. Some of them don't quite get it, but I've had some pretty successful ones. I like to tell people that I work for a company called "Trollarch" who's privately contracted by the CoD makers (yes, I just say this and people believe it sometimes) to catch boosters, cheaters, and people who generally act like dicks.

 

Now, anyone who's a fan of Minnesota Burns is already cracking up. For those of you who aren't, you should check his YouTube channel out. You'd be surprised at the dumb shit you can make people do and say when they think they're in a heap of trouble. 

[The Stranger 812]

If it goes after that I have been trolled for 8 years in a row...

I do forgive those persons, I guess they just don´t know what they were doing. Thing is, I know many of them who didn´t have a hard time, who just did it for the fun. Of course I know a few who started it because of personal problems as well, but just as many do it because of boredom.

Boredom makes aggressive, it makes people act brutal, in psychically and physically ways...

And that I can´t forgive. Not on the Internet neither in real life. On the Internet it´s of course harder to tell what exactly is the matter, but it´s a question of being mature and getting your stuff together.

 

I have no mercy with trolls, not for a second. Having a perfect life is hard nowadays, society makes it hard, family makes it hard, oh boo-hoo. It still is what you make of it. If you try to find peace by being a troll you dig your own grave and don´t try to make things better.

 

I'll simply repeat myself here: That's not a good reason. Anger brings on more anger, pain brings on more pain, spite brings on more spite. You cannot justify pain. If you go out of your way to hurt someone else because they've hurt you or someone else or you refuse to forgive and remain angry at them you're just as bad as them and your passing the hurt around.

 

You're 100% correct in stating that some people troll for fun and it's difficult to tell over the internet why someone is trolling but if you can't forgive and let go you're just contributing to the vicious cycle of trolling that is the internet. I'm not defending the trolls here, I'm trying to help people realize that in the end we're all the same and you shouldn't feed the trolls by trolling back, getting angry, or refusing to forgive.

[Dev 251]

Well, I find that a "who-gives-a-fuck" attitude towards trolls works fine. They're not a big deal, they only will affect you if you let them affect you, so just ignore them, lol. Easy as pie.

[THSHappyFace 17]

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.  -Oscar Wilde

 

Yep, when ever somebody tries to make me look bad, I just reply with simplicity, making them think I don't care, or that I would forgive them so easily. Things like "lol k c:", and I've found that saying ": D" at any time annoys a lot. In a game, after winning, this smiley will start to annoy them, and it will get worse for them the more you do it, and using it after losing will make THEM look like the ones that take winning/losing "too seriously". Just try as hard as you can not to show any sort of rage or discomfort. I don't see it as false impression, I rather see it as deception. One of the easiest ways I know to get rid of them parasprites xD

[Scootaloodle 1,621]

My experience with trolls are usually on YouTube in the comments section on videos as I'm not into online gaming, but I hope my advice might help still:

 

I think there are three ways to deal with trolls:

 

1. Ignore and move on

2. Block them

3. Report them

 

Fighting back is not a good option in my opinion because two wrongs don't make a right. Fighting back aka troll feeding gives the troll an open goal to do more trolling

 

Ignoring means the troll has no open goal and therefore will assume the person he's trolling doesn't care what he or she is saying because they got better things to do and will hopefully get bored, although if it's live audio trolling I'd just not act bothered but not over act it so it makes it obvious you do secretley care, just be like "uh huh you got anything intresting to say?" and maybe throw in some snoring sounds and giggling at the trollie 

[Nilkad_Naqadah 144]

My default response to trolls is rational responses. Essentially, most trolls are basing whatever they're saying on either intentionally flawed premises or just flat-out assumptions. Which means it's easy for someone like me to respond with a reasoned argument and utterly tear their statements or assertions apart, without resorting to insults and other such methods of arguing. The result is that the troll sees not only that I'm not giving him an emotional response, rather a logical, but also sees that I'm making an absolute fool of him. Hence, he becomes angry, starts throwing petty insults designed more to fire everywhere and hope something sticks, I continue my rational responses, it continues escalating on his end, and suddenly the person who started the conversation with the sole purpose of making me upset is the one who is being made upset, and I didn't even need to insult him in any way. It's quite effective.

[Groovyle 43]

I've faced many trolls in real life, and internet. In real life, of course most trolls just doing it for fun. If trolls come by and is ready to disturb me when I'm focusing on something (e.g game), I'll just give them a soft-slap with a rather funny face to warn them. If they don't stop, I ignore them, and they'll go away.
However, internet trolls, are harder to get rid of. So I'll just ignore them.

 

I rarely put hard feelings on a person, even if I do it will fade away quickly. I always forgive people no matter what. I do not need reason to forgive. Putting on hatred fills me with negatives, and I do not want that. Oops, a bit too much about me there

 

Ignore trolls, they'll eventually give up.

[duidamasterXD 9,626]

I've never been particularly bothered by trolls. I actually find most attempts at trolling pretty hilarious. The key is to take them about as seriously as they treat you, or even less. Few are really determined enough to stick at the process once they realize that it isn't working.  

[____ 156]

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Edited August 10, 2020 by ____

[Shanks 10,811]

I learned a long time ago that responding to trolls is a waste of time, I have lost my temper a few times in the past and trolled them back but all it did was just encourage them.

[Yamato 1,347]

You know what I do to people such as this? I keep a level head and calmly destroy every argument/topic/grievance/etc. that they throw at me. This method has yet to fail me and it's fun to boot!

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

Oh, all the time. Some are for humor, where both of us get the laugh, but the majority are people who just want attention and have nothing else to do. All I do I simply ignore them, or say something smart back to them. 

[TomokoKuroki 1,707]

Back in the day, trolls were people who used clever wit, and play on words to mess with someone, but not in a harmful way. True trolls were people who looked for laughs through creative, clever ways. today's "trolls" are not trolls at all. They are just bullies.

 

Anyone who attacks someone's insecurities is a bully. He can try to hide behind a different label, but that doesn't mean he is anything less than that of a bully. When I come across these people, I try to explain to them in a mature debate on why what they did was wrong, and how they would feel if they were oppressed. But if it is just a d-bag who doesn't listen to anyone because the internet is filled with E-thugs, then I just ignore him, and move on.

 

If he can't understand why that is wrong, then it isn't my problem. One day I am sure said troll will overstep a boundary, and feel the penalty for it.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Hayze

[Mzukiller 233]

While I believe in forgiveness, it's not really in my personality to just forgive trolls. I always look for a solution, especially since fighting trolling with trolling just inspires more trolling. But at the end of the day, since you can never truly beat a troll and even if you do they won't let you declare victory, I say just turn the other cheek.

 

It's the internet, no one can really hurt you. But if you're like me, and have a problem just letting things go.....welp!

[Zygen 6,065]

I've ran into trolls before, and I use to be bad with getting angry at em, but I've learned to be a bit more tolerable and just ignore them or something.

 

I can understand where your coming from, it actually kinda makes me feel a bit sympathetic to trolls now. 

 

And I know for sure that I lash out alot under stress, so I can understand that viewpoint to.

 

I try my best to ignore and maturely handle trolls, but sometimes I do lose my cool, it kinda depends on the day really I guess. And other random factors.

[Darkshift 85]

I do not like people who think they are trolls but they are just 5 year old wind up merchants who make comments which they don't even know what it means.But I have found trolls who have trolled hackers or boosters to get revenge before they get banned.

[Mzukiller 233]

Hell just today I made the mistake of fighting trolling with trolling. I've been arguing with an Anti-brony for roughly 24 hours, and what do I decide to do? I decide to back trace his post history where it becomes evident that he's a dick to more than just bronies. and start harrassing his post from months ago. I've since deleted what I've said, but I can only hope he won't use my foolhardy actions as a template for other bronies and keep his hate train going.

[Guest]

Having been on the internet nearly half my lifetime I've had to put up with all kinds of shit from people on the internet, because of this I've sort of 'immunized' myself from being trolled because not only can I see them coming a mile away but it's pretty hard for me to get offended about anything nowadays. I allow myself ONE response to a troll, and it requires that I put NO effort into having a serious debate with them. A simple 'you're an idiot' or 'go fuck yourself' and not replying to anything they say after that does just fine.

[Mutemutt 772]

You know, I was looking into what it means to troll a while ago and now I'll probably watch/ read some more on the subject. I remember watching weev speak on his definition of trolling (and also the topic of free speech) and now I see it as trying to provoke a reaction out of someone and reveal their true nature/ raw emotions. Bullying and trolling can sometimes be the same thing (or at least taking part at the same time) depending on the situation but are not always identical. I also believe that in order to be trolled, you have to participate in the dialogue; for that reason, it's best if you just ignore trolls if you don't want to be trolled. 

 

To be honest, I think that the average troll is just in it for the "lulz". I'm mostly basing this off what I've heard from those that refer to themselves as trolls.

 

Have I indulged in a bit of trolling? Not really (or at least not online). Have I run into trolls? Probably, but I don't remember any; I never really gave them the time of day. If the troll isn't getting a rise out of someone, they'll lose interest and move on.

 

In case you were curious as to what video I was watching here's the links to a couple I remember off the top of my head.