Studies: Internet Trolls Really Are Horrible People

[PennyQuilts]

As I said I didn't know if you were being sarcastic because I was complaining about complaining or if you were just spreading your typical bitterness instead of actually participating in a real discussion.

I'm not bitter but I note is common for some to go personal and try to define someone with whom they disagree.

[PennyQuilts]

Yeah, I didn't start this about them at all. They just hopped on over and got on the defensive... I guess it should say something that they thought I was talking about them, but we don't need to keep going back to that well.

The trouble is though, especially in politics comments sections, it's really tough to tell whether someone is Tea Party or troll.

For example, in any given comments section having anything the least bit to do with the federal government, you have:

__________________________________
This guy, Edmond, OK

Obummer need's to go back to Kenya if he wants to be a Marxist, let him do it in his own country! He's a diskrace to this country and to the flag and for everything AMERICA stand's for! He and hi's Muslim's are going to take over this Country with him flying in secret Muslim's on the airline's. Don't you people realize we are at WAR??? When Obummer implements Agenda 21, you won't even recognize this Country! God help us and GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!
_________________________________________

Troll or Tea Party member? Tough to tell..

Mid clearly can't distinguish between a troll and someone with whom he disagrees. When he plays hall monitor (which is fairly chronic and typically coarse), he NEVER chastises someone on the left no matter how obnoxious they are being. He is far more likely to join in with additional attacks and name calling. If he was really worried about trolls rather than substance his comments wouldn't be so completely one sided. If he wasn't so quick to name call and go personal on right leaning commenters, I'd guess he just wasn't interested enough to troll but he is quite aggressive about his hall monitoring duties. He is the guy who lets his buddies go and bullies everyone else. He clearly takes pride in his hall monitor duties or he wouldn't preen over what he does.

[mugofbeer]

__________________________________
This guy, Edmond, OK

Obummer need's to go back to Kenya if he wants to be a Marxist, let him do it in his own country! He's a diskrace to this country and to the flag and for everything AMERICA stand's for! He and hi's Muslim's are going to take over this Country with him flying in secret Muslim's on the airline's. Don't you people realize we are at WAR??? When Obummer implements Agenda 21, you won't even recognize this Country! God help us and GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!
_________________________________________

Troll or Tea Party member? Tough to tell..

This almost sounds like one of those Democrat plants they put Tea Party events to say outrageous things so they could be video'd on the news at Tea Party events - only to find out later they are Democrat supporters.

[Midtowner]

I don't want to get too far afield, but these, I don't believe, were Democrat plants.



--and almost all of that material came from the mouths of these sweet old ladies at a 9/12 meeting.

So again, TPer or troll.. hard to tell sometimes.

[mugofbeer]

sorry, your attachment didn't come through for some of us.

Mid, it's obvious there are trolls and there are goons on both sides of the political fence. Some statements are so over the top, they start to seem a little bit hard to believe it is serious (and not something a la The Onion pranking everyone).

Since the Dems have been caught more than once using this "plant" tactic at Tea Party events, you have to take outrageous statements like that with a grain of salt. Even if you find some goon who is serious, that certainly doesn't mean it applies to everyone at an event.

[Midtowner]

sorry, your attachment didn't come through for some of us.

Mid, it's obvious there are trolls and there are goons on both sides of the political fence. Some statements are so over the top, they start to seem a little bit hard to believe it is serious (and not something a la The Onion pranking everyone).

Since the Dems have been caught more than once using this "plant" tactic at Tea Party events, you have to take outrageous statements like that with a grain of salt. Even if you find some goon who is serious, that certainly doesn't mean it applies to everyone at an event.

But here's the thing--you're a real live human being capable of being persuaded by facts and evidence. If you look at what I posted (a Bridenstine town hall at a 9/12 event), one TP woman wanted Obama to be killed as a war criminal. Google it if you can't see my link. This sort of talk is acceptable in some TP circles... in fact, my father who is 70 years old has a best friend who believes all of this crap. Those people are real. Don't deny it.

Now we have some trolls here who I really don't think are legitimate human beings. They're here to stir the pot. I've put the bastards on ignore and I will continue to advocate that others do the same. Don't feed the trolls.

Now that said, I didn't start this thread to talk about them. I do that all the time elsewhere.

[Prunepicker]

... When he plays hall monitor (which is fairly chronic and typically coarse), he
NEVER chastises someone on the left no matter how obnoxious they are
being.

I remember when he used common sense in his posts. Then something
happened, Not sure what but it had something to do with law school.

[RadicalModerate]

I'm somewhat ashamed to admit this . . .
yet I'm not exactly sure what "troll" / "trolling" means within the context of the current discussion.

Is "troll" a noun or a verb? Does it have something to do with fishing? or with phishing?

(there are plenty of "billy goats gruff" involved, yet at what price regarding the toll?)

I'd throw in something along the lines of:
"Who knows for whom the bull trolls . . ?
It trolls for thee . . ."
but that would be too obscure a reference.

[Plutonic Panda]

That wasn't all he said. He made a point of saying he went looking for them. I think that is creepy, frankly. I mean, who would want to do that - other than a troll going around trying to control other's speech? Maybe it is just me but I don't understand going out of your way to look for things you don't like and then try to get them banned. Odd hobby. It is one thing to see something that is out of line in the course of reading. It is another to take it upon yourself to be a hall monitor. I just don't see what someone gets out of that.

Oh, I didn't catch that... yeah that is a bit weird if the case.

[Plutonic Panda]

The trouble is though, especially in politics comments sections, it's really tough to tell whether someone is Tea Party or troll.


Troll or Tea Party member? Tough to tell..

When you say things like that, to me, that is trolling.

[Prunepicker]

When you say things like that, to me, that is trolling.

Most trolls complain about trolls. They don't realize that they are trolls.

[RadicalModerate]

When you say things like that, to me, that is trolling.

Surely you aren't implying that the, above referenced, provider of an opinion, however expressed, is doing so in order to elicit an emotional response on your part? Are you? =)

(that was a feeble attempt at "trolling" . . . at least as I understand it from the Urban Dictionary)

[CaptDave]

Surely you aren't implying that the, above referenced, provider of an opinion, however expressed, is doing so in order to elicit an emotional response on your part? Are you? =)

(that was a feeble attempt at "trolling" . . . at least as I understand it from the Urban Dictionary)

If that is the definition of trolling, it is pretty easy to identify the trolls around here.

[RadicalModerate]

If that is the definition of trolling, it is pretty easy to identify the trolls around here.

Are you an M.C. Escher fan, too? =)

[CaptDave]

Are you an M.C. Escher fan, too? =)

Only when I wish to be confounded.

[RadicalModerate]

This Just In: Studies Indicating Trolls Really Are Horrible People Done By Trolls Themselves (!)
(film at 11)

(dang . . . i can't believe how long it's been since i've visited over there at The Onion . . .)

[Plutonic Panda]

Surely you aren't implying that the, above referenced, provider of an opinion, however expressed, is doing so in order to elicit an emotional response on your part? Are you? =)

(that was a feeble attempt at "trolling" . . . at least as I understand it from the Urban Dictionary)

perhaps the troller has become the trollee

[RadicalModerate]

perhaps the troller has become the trollee

Maybe so . . . even Tony Bennett reminded us of the importance of "Leav[ing] [one's] Heart in San Francisco" . . .

[kelroy55]

Yeah, I didn't start this about them at all. They just hopped on over and got on the defensive... I guess it should say something that they thought I was talking about them, but we don't need to keep going back to that well.

The trouble is though, especially in politics comments sections, it's really tough to tell whether someone is Tea Party or troll.

For example, in any given comments section having anything the least bit to do with the federal government, you have:

__________________________________
This guy, Edmond, OK

Obummer need's to go back to Kenya if he wants to be a Marxist, let him do it in his own country! He's a diskrace to this country and to the flag and for everything AMERICA stand's for! He and hi's Muslim's are going to take over this Country with him flying in secret Muslim's on the airline's. Don't you people realize we are at WAR??? When Obummer implements Agenda 21, you won't even recognize this Country! God help us and GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!
_________________________________________

Troll or Tea Party member? Tough to tell..

It is hard to tell the difference.

[venture]

That wasn't all he said. He made a point of saying he went looking for them. I think that is creepy, frankly. I mean, who would want to do that - other than a troll going around trying to control other's speech? Maybe it is just me but I don't understand going out of your way to look for things you don't like and then try to get them banned. Odd hobby. It is one thing to see something that is out of line in the course of reading. It is another to take it upon yourself to be a hall monitor. I just don't see what someone gets out of that.

Umm, where?

Just FYI, with those Facebook accounts, if they're obviously not real people, if you report them, FB will delete the account. I've done that a few times.

Hell, I've done it a few times. Does that mean I am making a hobby out of it? If I am reading a story and take a look down at the comments, if someone is out of line and attacking - I'll click the little X to report it and move on. I'm not actively fishing. Where did Mid state he actively goes out to do just this? I must have missed it if you can help me out with that.

[PennyQuilts]

Umm, where?



Hell, I've done it a few times. Does that mean I am making a hobby out of it? If I am reading a story and take a look down at the comments, if someone is out of line and attacking - I'll click the little X to report it and move on. I'm not actively fishing. Where did Mid state he actively goes out to do just this? I must have missed it if you can help me out with that.

The way I read what he wrote - did I misread? - seemed like he was going out of his way to bust people. I don't have a problem with reporting certain posts but I DO think it would be weird to set out to do it. I think the confusion comes from the difference between reporting an obnoxious post and someone who says they go around turning in fake FB names. The latter seems extreme, to me. It is one thing to do it in the course of reading but Mid made the point of saying he has done it multiple times. That just strikes me as taking it to a higher, more obsessive level.

[Midtowner]

When you say things like that, to me, that is trolling.

Funny that everyone who liked your post is on my iggy list.

[venture]

The way I read what he wrote - did I misread? - seemed like he was going out of his way to bust people. I don't have a problem with reporting certain posts but I DO think it would be weird to set out to do it. I think the confusion comes from the difference between reporting an obnoxious post and someone who says they go around turning in fake FB names. The latter seems extreme, to me. It is one thing to do it in the course of reading but Mid made the point of saying he has done it multiple times. That just strikes me as taking it to a higher, more obsessive level.

I didn't take it that way at all. I've done it multiple times, like I said, but it isn't like I spend my morning doing it. If I am reading a story and see a comment that is out of line, I'll click the little X to report and move on. I think you just read into it way more than what was actually there.

[PennyQuilts]

I didn't take it that way at all. I've done it multiple times, like I said, but it isn't like I spend my morning doing it. If I am reading a story and see a comment that is out of line, I'll click the little X to report and move on. I think you just read into it way more than what was actually there.

Wouldn't be the first time!

[okcboomer]

This is interesting. I've been called a troll by some on this forum. I think it stems from not typing very much. Sorry, I don't have time to sit around and type 500 word replies to everything.