RF Member Survey -- Thread #3

[Rival]

Trolling.

How exactly would you define this word within the context of RF? What is a troll? Are there other kinds of trolls?

Please note, this is not a thread to gossip about others, name names, give what you think are actual RF examples and so on. In other words, don't vent about who you think are trolls on this thread. You can, however, give made up examples to make your point.

If you do have serious misgivings about a member, use Site Feedback.

Thanks.

 

[ChristineM]

There can be a fine line between presentating firmly held beliefs in argument, which may be upsetting to others and deliberate trolling to sew discord.

I know i have been reported and had my hand slapped for trolling when a have simply been giving my opinion.

 

[Heyo]

A troll is someone who doesn't further the discussion. S/he is either off topic or goes off on a tangent. The goal is to get attention, negative or positive doesn't matter. They don't even have to participate in the discussion. For some it is just rewarding to watch others get emotional over their post.
Trolls don't care if they are proven wrong, ridiculed, insulted or banned. Every action towards them is attention. With such an utility function the only way to deal with trolls is not to feed them.

 

[Rival]

There can be a fine line between presentating firmly held beliefs in argument, which may be upsetting to others and deliberate trolling to sew discord.

I know i have been reported and had my hand slapped for trolling when a have simply been giving my opinion.

So you'd define trolling as a deliberate attempt to sew discord within threads? Anything else?

 

[ChristineM]

So you'd define trolling as a deliberate attempt to sew discord within threads? Anything else?

I have seen a few newbies posting (and PMing) links to paid sites/articles but i consider that spam, not trolling. And you guys soon get rid of them

But back to trolling, injecting discord can come in many guises from deliberate persons insults to sustained mockery of a position.

 

[exchemist]

Trolling.

How exactly would you define this word within the context of RF? What is a troll? Are there other kinds of trolls?

Please note, this is not a thread to gossip about others, name names, give what you think are actual RF examples and so on. In other words, don't vent about who you think are trolls on this thread. You can, however, give made up examples to make your point.

If you do have serious misgivings about a member, use Site Feedback.

Thanks.

There are several types, though I agree that deliberately seeking to stir up discord is the defining feature of all of them.

There are those who post inflammatory topics to get a rise out of a part of the forum community - what is sometimes called "flamebaiting". We see this here with some of the anti-muslim or political stuff, taken from obvious propaganda sites, or taking deliberately outrageous stances, for instance. Often one can tell by the posting style, usually jokey, facetious or sarcastic rather than straightforward. Though sometimes it can be just aggressive. Often the poster has a clear agenda or target group in mind, posting repeatedly on the same subject.

There are those who take part in threads to provoke people but without making any serious argument - again often facetious or aggressive in tone.

And there are those who hijack threads to introduce their pet obsessions. (That is less common on the threads I have seen here than it is in science forums, where cranks abound.)

The difficulty in moderating them is of course that it is about motive, and motive is not easy to establish beyond doubt. But generally there will be a pattern of behaviour from those concerned.

 

[Estro Felino]

I can say what trolling is not...firstly.

Trolling is not simply expressing an opinion about something, no matter how controversial it might seem.

Trolling is not criticizing a philosophical or religious idea, as long as this criticism is explained rationally.

Trolling is not when someone expresses political statement you disagree with.


So...trolling is when people deliberately create chaos in a discussion, looking down on the interlocutor, belittling them...

All this can be avoided through civil, polite, sensible fruitful debate, and do not forget nobody possesses the absolute truth so respecting your intrlocutor's ideas is the basis of our civilization.

 

[Revoltingest]

So you'd define trolling as a deliberate attempt to sew sow discord within threads?

Is derailing a thread by correcting someone's spelling trolling?

 

[Rival]

Is derailing a thread by correcting someone's spelling trolling?

I know better. I had 0 hours sleep last night (literally) and still refuse to take sleeping pills. The price is high.

 

[Revoltingest]

I know better. I had 0 hours sleep last night (literally) and still refuse to take sleeping pills. The price is high.

You take care of yourself, ya hear.
Sleep is essential for good health.
I recommend watching a favored rerun on the telly, whilst
sipping hot chocolate with a wee bit'o whiskey in it.
Before you know it, you'll doze off, & be saw'n wood.

 

[BSM1]

There can be a fine line between presentating firmly held beliefs in argument, which may be upsetting to others and deliberate trolling to sew discord.

I know i have been reported and had my hand slapped for trolling when a have simply been giving my opinion.

Glad to see we frequent the same club...you come here often...

 

[BSM1]

Is derailing a thread by correcting someone's spelling trolling?

Yes

 

[Revoltingest]

Yes

Rats!

 

[MikeDwight]

I once asked Conan the video game why it was going to have sexual content. The general community opinion was trolling. I guess they're that proud of Conan the Barbarian and a game with sexual content! Well the PC Gamer article was saying MMO siege warfare and features, then they didn't do that, then they took their shirts off, people can read that writing.

 

[nPeace]

Trolling.

How exactly would you define this word within the context of RF? What is a troll? Are there other kinds of trolls?

Please note, this is not a thread to gossip about others, name names, give what you think are actual RF examples and so on. In other words, don't vent about who you think are trolls on this thread. You can, however, give made up examples to make your point.

If you do have serious misgivings about a member, use Site Feedback.

Thanks.

I like this definition... In Internet slang, a troll is a person who starts quarrels or upsets people on the Internet to distract and sow discord by posting inflammatory and digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community...

 

[shmogie]

Trolling.

How exactly would you define this word within the context of RF? What is a troll? Are there other kinds of trolls?

Please note, this is not a thread to gossip about others, name names, give what you think are actual RF examples and so on. In other words, don't vent about who you think are trolls on this thread. You can, however, give made up examples to make your point.

If you do have serious misgivings about a member, use Site Feedback.

Thanks.

Trolls are those who do not agree with you or put up a spirited counterpoint to what you say as fact.

 

[MikeDwight]

Who's that? Dixie man? I hope it doesn't "start a quarrel" to have changed nothing for 100 years, minded their own business, existed, hadn't a comment on anybody else. Existence is an upsetting quarrel for lots of people.

 

[Revoltingest]

Trolls are those who do not agree with you or put up a spirited counterpoint to what you say as fact.

Aye, some accuse me of than on occasion.
Having the temerity to disagree with "The Truth" is the worst sin, eh.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

Is derailing a thread by correcting someone's spelling trolling?

Does this really derail a thread?

 

[leov]

Trolling.

How exactly would you define this word within the context of RF? What is a troll? Are there other kinds of trolls?

Please note, this is not a thread to gossip about others, name names, give what you think are actual RF examples and so on. In other words, don't vent about who you think are trolls on this thread. You can, however, give made up examples to make your point.

If you do have serious misgivings about a member, use Site Feedback.

Thanks.

Imo, troll is someone who has an agenda other than expressing own opinion or views (even in a manner that some consider trolling).