Sunday, September 14, 2008
The nature of a Troll
Alpha liberal posted on Althouse that a troll is not someone who disagrees with you. He would be surprised to know that I agree. That I actually agree with some of his posts. But what makes a troll is the humorless, repetitive posting of talking points as though that is supposed to show you "The light." But the nature of some of the people on Althouse is such that we can dispense with their opinions altogether. From both the left and the right. For example Cedarford on the right. I don't get into arguments with him about things he posts. Especially about things I might vehemently disagree with him about. He at least has a sense of humor and displays some humanity. He is of course entitled to his opinions. Some of the more liberal posters like Beth and Madison Man are fine people whose views are always welcome and who are treated with the respect that they have earned. They get it. We might not agree but I will always hear them out. Some of the liberal robots not so much. If you don't want to be considered a troll, show a little humor, a little humanity.
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4 comments:
Meh. That's a lot harder than Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V.
I think each blog proprietor is in control of how they define a "troll". The definition is someone with whom you not only disagree, but to whom, for some reason, you also take personal offense. I think the amount of variation between each individual's emotional make-up makes it impossible to predict what any one person will take offense to - especially in heated debates.
The problem with even identifying such a thing as "troll-like behavior" is that comments sections on blogs are not especially well given to conveying emotional content. People can do it, if they want to, but that's not the kind of thing those forums are suited for. It takes effort and can be done, however. But most people unfortunately use the internet to find what they want to hear. When they comment they find like-minded communities to reinforce their own sense of belonging, and are typically as dismissive of emotional challenges as they are intellectual challenges.
The weakness of all this is that it bypasses a very obvious solution. The "troll" doesn't want to feel dismissed any more than any one else. Identify the "troll's" complaint/argument/purpose for posting, and dismiss that. If you can't do that, then you've conceded that they've won something that you couldn't best them on, and so you called them an all-purpose name instead. I respect others' right to do that, but it's a pretty weak thing to concede to, IMO.
Althouse's blog is about throwing together two competing memes which are currently prevalent in the popular and/or political culture, exacerbating a sense of conflict between them, and seeing which meme's proponents erect the most ardent defense. There doesn't seem to be much of an emphasis on any kind of resolution of anything, let alone substantive self-criticism. My preference is for blogs and bloggers that take the opposite approach.
If someone's comments don't fit in with the goals, values, purpose of the blog, then clearly state what those are beforehand. If you don't, or worse, if you can't, then deeming someone a troll is basically a way of admitting that they got in the way of your ego, and nothing else.
So the troll uses 358 words to say that trollery is all in the eye of the beholder. Does anybody know a teenager? Of the type who turns your words around? "You'll make a great lawyer, kid, if you live long enough."
"You'll make a great lawyer, kid, if you live long enough."
So what is this, a threat?
The funny thing is, that I only ever run into people so unintelligent and/or given to visceral frustration, that they bluster over their own incoherence at being restricted from responding physically, in cyberspace. And even that's rare.
Not only are you in cyberspace, you're in Trooper's world. This is not a staged Jerry Springer show. He has made it clear that he doesn't consider me a troll. For Christ's sake, he links to me! Get a clue. So if you don't have anything intelligent or insightful to say (which is why he and I appreciate interacting with each other) then why not go to a place where that's considered "trollery". I can think of a few suggestions...
And if you think that wordiness alone is a hallmark of trolling according to anyone sane then you really need to get out more.
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