Trolling as a coping method? -Whaaa

[Let Me Be a Pony]

Yesh, think about it.
People troll for many reasons - Of course the main one is connected with making you pissed.
Some turn to trolling on trolls, so no innocents get damaged in the process.
Others go ape shit with it all around the web.

Theoretically, THEORETICALLY, I believe it's a coping method for some/few people. It lets off steam, seeing others wonder and ponder on the stupid shit you've said.
The more people getting afflicted, the better it's feeling to see other people do something because of you. It makes sense. I mean, there's this random person behind the computer, wasting his/her time to write something to other random strangers - to make their lives worse in order for him/her to let off steam.

Yes, it's a bad coping mechanism, but so is cutting.
What's the difference between the two?
Cutting involves physically hurting yourself, mostly. It can also hurt psychologically your close friends in a number of ways.
Trolling is not connected with physical hurt but with mental.

New(Offensive language removed -HN)(newbies to the internet, mostly regarded as people who don't know the local internet terms, or opium den users which somehow got internet in their dens) don't turn to trolling, since it requires a lot of torment to actually differentiate how trolling works, not to seclude the fact that it's time consuming. You got to be a no lifer...

YESH, we got sad individuals over the internet who cope by trolling various networks.
And nah, I would not categorize "trolling" as cyber bullying.
"WHY NAWT?" Well, there are so many arts of trolling. Trolling is mostly about baiting, not bullying certain people.
Cyber bullying is another thing and some confuse it with trolling. Different definitions, guys. :C

Snappity snap snap, debate.

[Uniquemind]

Trolling by trolls is seen as a joke.

Jokes let off steam or stress from life, and it is done also for entertainment and in some contexts revenge and the justification is that the person who got baited is at fault for their own reaction.

Trolls feel no responsibility to whom they anger because they figure in this day and age, if your so trusting over what is said on the internet, you didn't prepare your mind to be online in the first place.


Trolling religious communities I think is where the concept started in real life because they're easy to get a rise out of and the tenants of many religious communities is to always reach out and take in new people, meaning they can't turn away trolls.



But trolling is also used in the art of debate, especially to show the audience your opponents faulty logic which my be entertaining in it's own humor...which would make you as a debater seem more credible.


But do I think trolls have no life in real life? No I think a lot of the time kids or teens who troll are couped up in the house with nothing better to do and so getting laughs online is the next best thing.

A few of my friends like to troll, but personally they're very accomplished people in real life and aren't losers in any way.


The general message of trolls is this: stop being so sensitive and reactive to stuff and our power will go away, why don't you realize that yet people?


If you must engage a troll the trick is to always keep a cool head, be polite, and acknowledge you might real completely inappropriate and rude statements, but that the credibility behind those statements might not even exist so don't get mad.


It may mean you have to stomach attacks on your faith or etc.

[Let Me Be a Pony]

Trolling by trolls is seen as a joke.
Jokes let off steam or stress from life, and it is done also for entertainment and in some contexts revenge and the justification is that the person who got baited is at fault for their own reaction.
Well, it ain't the fault of the victim. Anyone can be baited, considering if the right words be used.


Trolls feel no responsibility to whom they anger because they figure in this day and age, if your so trusting over what is said on the internet, you didn't prepare your mind to be online in the first place.

Well, they do feel responsible for the acts they've done in a good way, a way which makes them feel noticed and happy.


Trolling religious communities I think is where the concept started in real life because they're easy to get a rise out of and the tenants of many religious communities is to always reach out and take in new people, meaning they can't turn away trolls.
True.I remember trolling a religious group in London. Somehow I added Doctor Who in a debate, and they said that Jesus was a time traveler like Doctor Who.
Then... Well you know how easily it went downhill from there.


But do I think trolls have no life in real life? No I think a lot of the time kids or teens who troll are couped up in the house with nothing better to do and so getting laughs online is the next best thing.

Those type of people I refer as newf**s. It's sad seeing children with no experience in trolling. Can be smitten down so easily.
Tryharders trying hard for the time to pass. :<
trolls got nothing to do IRL, no reason to live, nothing left so they turn to trolling as a means to make themselves feel alive. Sad story, bro.


A few of my friends like to troll, but personally they're very accomplished people in real life and aren't losers in any way.
Newf** trollers they are. Oldf** trolls are a rare sight, unless you're lurking 4chan. Newf** trolls don't commit their resources and time to accomplishing a bait properly.
Have seen one troll steer a shit soup thread in a random forum, just with the help of one post. Resulted in 100+ replies and 15 000 views of the thread.
He was banned of course, due to the off-topic post.


The general message of trolls is this: stop being so sensitive and reactive to stuff and our power will go away, why don't you realize that yet people?

Well, humans are sensitive creatures. Always will be trolls. It can only get far worse than this, since the internet is involved currently and it's expanding.

[Microcosm]

It's kind of a shitty thing to do either way. I mean it's just pointless and, frankly, very immature.

If you are just out right insulting someone like calling them a f****t then that's just immature and totally lame. I mean just because it is a coping method doesn't justify you in doing this. You talk about it like it does but it really doesn't. When you boil it down to cold, hard facts here's what you get.
1. You're being an a** hole to some degree.
2. You're being very immature.
3. Claiming that it is a coping method does not justify the action.
4. It IS cyber bullying. It is a for of it, at least, but perhaps not quite as serious.

I apologize if this post sounded a bit blunt. This is just my honest opinion on the subject.

[Let Me Be a Pony]

It's kind of a shitty thing to do either way. I mean it's just pointless and, frankly, very immature.

I concur. It is. Some people do it for a way of escaping reality, some for fun, some to pass the time. Multiple reasons.

If you are just out right insulting someone like calling them a f****t then that's just immature and totally lame.

LOL. Sounds familiar. But that ain't trolling. It actually depends for me. It's a long story. I am used to using the newf****t and oldf****t word, due to having grown up with friends, which use the words to refer to me as a buddy. It sounds silly but that's it. Only calling other people like this who are themselves using the word "newf****t".
It's similar to black people using the N word.
Personally, I do not take the newf****t word as an insult, unless someone pissed is using it. And we did use the words newf** and oldf**, not the "f****t" word.
Other that, aye. The fa* word is indeed an insult but the old and newf** are not, if we are following slang rules here.


I mean just because it is a coping method doesn't justify you in doing this. You talk about it like it does but it really doesn't.

Same could be said about cutting, smoking, alcoholism. It hurts people too. Just giving examples.


When you boil it down to cold, hard facts here's what you get.
1. You're being an a** hole to some degree.
2. You're being very immature.


Aye, I agree on this.


3. Claiming that it is a coping method does not justify the action.


Same could be said about cocaine addicts and just about any addiction. People who do this for coping need something or someone to steer them away from this lifestyle. I never said that it justifies them to do these acts, I do not think it does actually. I also think that it's stupid and frivolous.


4. It IS cyber bullying. It is a for of it, at least, but perhaps not quite as serious.


Trolling has various entities.
The bating type of trolling is not cyber bullying.
Trolling is not just what you see on 4chan/b/.
It's more inane yet prudent in some cases.
Definition of cyber bullying goes like this - The act of harassing someone online by sending or posting mean messages, usually anonymously.
The definition of a troll is quite literal - to bait.
Cyber bullying and trolls do not cross their ways, in some cases of course. Successful trolls never cyber bully, it simply gives them away.


I apologize if this post sounded a bit blunt. This is just my honest opinion on the subject.

It's okay, bro. We're each with our own opinions and I admire truthful behavior. It's better for someone to be honest than keep away their opinions like cowards.

[Uniquemind]

I agree trolling is bad.


But it's particularly bad because it's a type of joke that has no conclusion or punch line.

Let's compare knock-knock jokes to troll jokes.

In knock-knock jokes, both the one giving the joke and the one receiving it are made aware of the context of communication that's about to take place.


All types of trolling inherently carry the theme of deception and that's what makes it bad. Only the jokesters is "in" on it, and the one receiving the joke perceives a false context.

If it's understood between friends that spontaneously you troll each other, that's different. The context of your friendship allows for such play.

---

Sadly I will say the world is not a welcome place for sensitive people. The world breeds a atmosphere where humans are more competitive towards each other rather than helpful, especially as you rise up to higher status jobs and social circles.

And those who are in high level jobs are shaping society with laws that restrict the happiness and understanding of those who do not seek the super high paying and competitive lifestyle.

[Let Me Be a Pony]

I agree trolling is bad.
But it's particularly bad because it's a type of joke that has no conclusion or punch line.

Let's compare knock-knock jokes to troll jokes.

In knock-knock jokes, both the one giving the joke and the one receiving it are made aware of the context of communication that's about to take place.


All types of trolling inherently carry the theme of deception and that's what makes it bad. Only the jokesters is "in" on it, and the one receiving the joke perceives a false context.

If it's understood between friends that spontaneously you troll each other, that's different. The context of your friendship allows for such play.

---

Sadly I will say the world is not a welcome place for sensitive people. The world breeds a atmosphere where humans are more competitive towards each other rather than helpful, especially as you rise up to higher status jobs and social circles.

And those who are in high level jobs are shaping society with laws that restrict the happiness and understanding of those who do not seek the super high paying and competitive lifestyle.
True, the point is for the targets not know what hit them.
Meh, forgot to mention that trolling a politician in my country is currently illegal. That includes baiting others to false information about the given individual. Good job, law. You don't understand how you've steered a few people towards the Deep Web. But you know, the ban does NOT involve the "positive" type of trolling(the type of trolling which you write positive fake comments about a political party, that they're the best, the strongest, that you'll vote for them, etc, and yes, people do get paid for this type of trolling here). Why do they do this? Well, when some random person reads that a shit ton of people are writing down how they'll vote for a certain party, it makes you focus on their lies and convinces you to vote for the dumb ass party that gathered up the trolls in the first place.
It's sad how some politics work nowadays.

World ain't welcoming sensitive people, indeed. People with higher ranks rule over. Trolling is getting in politics, so this is spreading in every direction.

[Uniquemind]

True, the point is for the targets not know what hit them.
Meh, forgot to mention that trolling a politician in my country is currently illegal. That includes baiting others to false information about the given individual. Good job, law. You don't understand how you've steered a few people towards the Deep Web. But you know, the ban does NOT involve the "positive" type of trolling(the type of trolling which you write positive fake comments about a political party, that they're the best, the strongest, that you'll vote for them, etc, and yes, people do get paid for this type of trolling here). Why do they do this? Well, when some random person reads that a shit ton of people are writing down how they'll vote for a certain party, it makes you focus on their lies and convinces you to vote for the dumb ass party that gathered up the trolls in the first place.

World ain't welcoming sensitive people, indeed. People with higher ranks rule over. Trolling is getting in politics, so this is spreading in every direction.

Sadly my cynical point was that realistically we blame people for their naïveté and that isn't changing or at the very least your in danger if you don't know the tools and weapons that pose a threat to you.

The reason they don't know what hit them, is because they didn't spend the time to truly understand what kinda of people are out there. Religious communities are notorious for their ignorance.

Good parents know this world is far from ideal which is why they prepare their offspring for a rough world. Bad parents tend to shelter their kids for one heck of a shock making them easy prey for the malicious ones who aren't going away anytime soon.


---


The best way to counter the trolling movement is with teaching oneself and others how to develop a thicker skin.


For me I developed a litmus test in my own mind that I run through everytime I hear a story that wants to make me react emotionally.


1. Am I getting both sides of the story?

2. What was my source of information? (Primary, secondary, or other?)

3. Was the source online? (Yes/No) > (if yes downgrade believability -2 pts)

4. If I react emotionally what does that accomplish and communicate to the overall cause that is upsetting me? Does it help or hurt the problem/solution?

5. Are you thinking about behaving a certain way purely to vent emotion? (Yes/No)
(If answered yes, don't react and use the principle of not wanting to be manipulated by other people's will, override the emotion you are feeling).


I learned that when you don't react in predictable ways, that can be more disturbing and threatening to others around you than any emotional outburst you could counter back with. That's what gives you power.


^ people need to learn this over the internet.

[Let Me Be a Pony]

Sadly my cynical point was that realistically we blame people for their naïveté and that isn't changing or at the very least your in danger if you don't know the tools and weapons that pose a threat to you.

The reason they don't know what hit them, is because they didn't spend the time to truly understand what kinda of people are out there. Religious communities are notorious for their ignorance.

Good parents know this world is far from ideal which is why they prepare their offspring for a rough world. Bad parents tend to shelter their kids for one heck of a shock making them easy prey for the malicious ones who aren't going away anytime soon.
I concur 100% on this. People need to be prepared for this.
But also, you should not allow a child to go freely on the internet without supervision, at least up until the kid knows what the internet is capable of.
I'd only allow the child on certain networks, though not everything is safe. Until the child knows well how to recognize trolls, how to avoid them, how to act when around them, then only then I'd allow the given child to be set free upon the internet. This is the World Wide Web, it's a free network after all. I would have fared much better at first, had I known how to deal with typical troll stereotypes. The sky is the limit after you know the basics of the internet.

Research in these matters is good. One of the reasons why I began lurking the unmoderated sections of the web was to learn more about these behaviors.
Yes, they do show most of the time in unmoderated areas, but the point is that trolls are everywhere.

[Uniquemind]

Let me also say there is a difference in trolling versus. investigative journalism.


There is a distinct line there, and I want to ask if anybody can see that line before I do my best to explain it.

[fairmaiden]

I guess when some people are bored; they decide to troll. I usually just ignore trolls, although I used to get into long arguments with them (which was pretty silly of me tbh).

I do not think that trolling is the same as cyber-bullying. From my understanding, cyber-bullying is the act of harassing someone online in a derogative/offensive manner. Trolling is usually just one off, and isn't necessarily just targeted at one person in particular (unless that person bites the trollbait, if that makes sense).

If trolls continue to harrass the same person (for example, as soon as the person logs on again, the troll starts targeting them and having a go at them and insulting them); THAT is cyber-bullying.

Although I think trolling can be pointless; just ignore it and they'll leave you alone lol.

[Uniquemind]

I see all comments made online that are outlandish or offensive if said to my face, as pure entertainment because they're online.

I just completely shifted my mind into that definition when I'm online.

Sure I'll give proper feedback if I think my responses hit a hard wise-cracking truth that will help all who read it.

But I am not going to get into a tit-for-tat discussion to prove any concepts. if i'm debating you I'm debating you because I'm having fun in the discussion or debate itself, it's nothing personal to me.

^I wish more people could do that when they go online.