Is it possible to be "too mean" to a troll?

[satindesire]

Sometimes, after typing up a response to a Troll, I often pause and shake my head and wonder if I've "gone too far" in the snarkyness, sarcasm or general nasty mean old bitchiness.

So, in your own opinion, is it possible to be too mean to a Troll, regardless of their level of "deserving it"?

 

[eastern sun]

Sometimes, after typing up a response to a Troll, I often pause and shake my head and wonder if I've "gone too far" in the snarkyness, sarcasm or general nasty mean old bitchiness.

So, in your own opinion, is it possible to be too mean to a Troll, regardless of their level of "deserving it"?

Yes, I think it is.up to each of us to determine who we want to be. I personally believe you become the mirror of the troll when you engage with them.

 

[ecstaticsub]

Absolutely,

Trolls should be ignored. When I get email such as "u r so hawt, tell your master to let me fuck you" I ignore them. Engaging in snarky conflict with them is not worth my time.

I am a very positive person, why waste my time being negative?

 

[Keroin]

Ditto to the above.

Our lives are finite, why waste time and energy in such negative way?

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I'm going to come down on the other side of the balance. Sometimes it's just fun - or helps release a bit of tension - to verbally flay them, (further) reveal their idiocy, and/or drive the pink monkey out of the troop.

 

[Daddy2mylilgirl]

I really can't get worked up over words on a screen. Especially by an anonymous person that I couldn't care less about.

 

[Honed_Hunger]

Sometimes, after typing up a response to a Troll, I often pause and shake my head and wonder if I've "gone too far" in the snarkyness, sarcasm or general nasty mean old bitchiness.

So, in your own opinion, is it possible to be too mean to a Troll, regardless of their level of "deserving it"?

If you feel the need to verbally field dress an idiot..........go for it.

Just know that you're also feeding the narcissistic side of an asshole who is plying their trade in order to manipulate your emotions. Negative attention is still attention and reaction to them,things a person of such nature labels as superiority/fulfilled needs when you lash out.

I opt for total dismissal/ignoring..........which starves a troll of what they feed upon. No one has anymore rights to control me than I grant them,which is none where a troll is concerned.

That's just how I roll..........YMMV and all that.

H-H

 

[bhndblueyes88]

DO NAWT FEED TEH TROLLZ!!!!

I really think the whole WORLD could stand to live by that rule. God knows it'd make politics more simple.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

DO NAWT FEED TEH TROLLZ!!!!

I really think the whole WORLD could stand to live by that rule. God knows it'd make politics more simple.

Yeahhhh... it would end politics!

 

[rosco rathbone]

Far too subjective to answer.

 

[where]

by definition you can't be too mean to a troll. they troll to elicit emotion and by giving them what you consider a mean response, you just feed 'em. move on and ignore.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I feel that you can't be too mean to a troll-- if the troll is actually a troll and not simply someone you disagree with.

You can certainly be too mean to someone like that.

And of course you CAN be meaner than the rest of your internet community is comfortable with-- turning yourself into a de facto troll.

Don't I know it!

I used to post to a forum that gathered together over one particular author-- Terry Pratchett, as it happens. Brace harcourt had set up a home page for each author they represented, and forums. But they left the site management up to the individual writers, and this one was completely unmoderated-- not even to get rid of spam (which didn't yet exist in the ways it does now) and the principle users considered this forum their territory, and defended it like whoah.

Some of them became very nasty warlords as a result, and could drive away legitimate newcomers without a qualm.

This resulted in troll attacks the likes of which most of you have probably never imagined possible. I could write a book, kids. Guerrilla warfare with words-- you can get some idea if you read the forum rules on this site, but you can't imagine what that stuff looks like unless you see it in action.

it was actually...me... that made an actual phone call to brace harcourt to tell them that they could either take responsibility for the site, or take it down or possibly risk a lawsuit. The man I talked to was incredulous-- he couldn't believe that folk would take the internet so seriously!

Terry found a couple of managers for it, and the principles formed their own site, which they could moderate in reasonable ways (which was all they had actually wanted) and the warlords found themselves in moderation at times and both sites are now flourishing quite nicely-- eight years later.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

If the troll were Mr. Rogers.

 

[FloggingMolly]

Depends whether they're a troll likw beloved, or just an asshat. If its a proper troll, then you'd have to push it to extremes (mocking the death of their spouse, or anything else that is serious real life stuff that has happened). Asshats aren't even worth a reply. To me, very few are real trolls, but those that are I'll be mean to.

 

[Primalex]

I could write an extensive response, showing you when and explaining you why you have been too mean (to people who are not me) - but really, I don't believe you care at all.

 

[Keroin]

Depends whether they're a troll likw beloved, or just an asshat. If its a proper troll, then you'd have to push it to extremes (mocking the death of their spouse, or anything else that is serious real life stuff that has happened). Asshats aren't even worth a reply. To me, very few are real trolls, but those that are I'll be mean to.

I don't think of Beloved as a troll. I think he was delusional. A 'true' believer, if you will.

 

[midwestyankee]

I don't think of Beloved as a troll. I think he was delusional. A 'true' believer, if you will.

Yes, he was a sort of Twue Beweaver.

 

[FloggingMolly]

I read that as twue beaver...

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

Nahhh, he wasn't a troll. I don't think it started with a desire to provoke (the hallmark of any troll); I think it was about defending the point of view, which led to the provocation. Oh, I think he liked the provocation, mind you. I just can't see him living for that alone.

I wonder about him sometimes. Did he find another forum? Does he walk among us still, quietly alting? For instance, maybe he's really Curious_in_Cali? Is he in that dirty hotel room in Memphis with a new subbie boy?

 

[Keroin]

quietly alting?

I don't know why, I just found those words sadly beautiful.







And bonus points for using "alt" as a verb!

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

I don't know why, I just found those words sadly beautiful.







And bonus points for using "alt" as a verb!

There are just so few areas of my life where I get to use the term "quietly alting."

 

[Luna_Wolf72]

Sometimes, after typing up a response to a Troll, I often pause and shake my head and wonder if I've "gone too far" in the snarkyness, sarcasm or general nasty mean old bitchiness.

So, in your own opinion, is it possible to be too mean to a Troll, regardless of their level of "deserving it"?

YES and NO~

For me?

I don't engage trolls in conversation. Ever. For any reason. I try to carry myself with some sort of decorum and getting into a typing tizzy with someone I don't know, will never meet and could give 2 fucks about~doesn't strike me as a productive use of my time.

For others?

However, others are not me and they probably get at least a good laugh or twenty out of telling some imbecile exactly how stupid they are. To them I say~YAY! I will read it and giggle~ IF the person refrains from dragging skin color, sexuality or preferences into their put downs.

 

[satindesire]

I don't think I've ever deliberately gone into a thread with the intention of getting into a textual dick waving contest with anyone. Most of the time I'm either defending a friend who's getting attacked by some asshat with a chip on their shoulder, or defending myself from someone who thinks they want to take this bull by the horns.

But sometimes I go back and re-read what I've written days or weeks after and shake my head at the things I say. Sometimes they can be hysterically funny but sometimes I get really snarky. And I wonder if I've gone too far, been too mean.

I am so overprotective, though. When I see someone I like/love being attacked I just kind of go nuts on the troll in question. It's like some kind of mom instinct.

 

[kiwi_submissive]

I just build a bridge and get over it. I have more than enough trolls in my life to deal with without adding more.

I will never see their point of view and they will never see mine so I am not going to waste my time arguing with them.

Besides you should never argue with an idiot, they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience. I have seem some very intelligent, sane people made to look like total idiots over trolls.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

I just build a bridge and get over it.

*Patented CM/BiBunny snort* Got the immediate mental picture of an old stone bridge with an ignored troll sulking underneath. Thanks!

Besides you should never argue with an idiot, they drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

Yeah, it's hard to fight 20, 30, 40 years of experience at something *we* have NO training in...