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Why do people troll?

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  • 28-11-2011 11:39am
    #1
    The King of Moo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭


    I can understand someone genuinely holding, or thinking they hold, a controversial opinion, and then defending it to the death despite all the facts showing them that they're wrong.

    What I don't get is deliberately winding people up by pretending to have a controversial opinion and then getting abusive and aggressive (and probably banned) to wind people up further.

    I don't see how that'd be fun in real life, and especially don't see how it's fun online where you can't see people's reactions.
    What's the appeal?

    Foreigners and single mothers and scumbags should all be shipped off to an island somewhere.


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    #2
    William_Hicley
    Registered Users Posts: 153 ✭✭William_Hicley


    If you have to ask, you will never know.


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    #3
    Lord TSC
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 42,421 Mod ✭✭✭✭Lord TSC


    In fairness, there's some people just have contraversial opinions and stick by them cause thats what they believe.

    For others....attention seeking :P


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    #4
    ejmaztec
    Registered Users Posts: 23,979 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


    The King of Moo wrote: »
    I can understand someone genuinely holding, or thinking they hold, a controversial opinion, and then defending it to the death despite all the facts showing them that they're wrong.

    What I don't get is deliberately winding people up by pretending to have a controversial opinion and then getting abusive and aggressive (and probably banned) to wind people up further.

    I don't see how that'd be fun in real life, and especially don't see how it's fun online where you can't see people's reactions.
    What's the appeal?

    Foreigners and single mothers and scumbags should all be shipped off to an island somewhere.

    They're probably small-minded neurotics with big chips on their shoulders, who have trouble communicating in the real world, and the only way they can get a hard on is by winding people up on the internet.

    Most of them would disappear if internet access was removed from mental health facilities.


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    #5
    TheZohanS
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,583 ✭✭✭✭TheZohanS


    Personality disorders tbh.

    I don't mind funny trolls, but abusive argumentative trolls can just FO.


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    #6
    LeeHoffmann
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭LeeHoffmann


    What's the appeal...I guess some people have too much time on their hands, plus they probably get away with it often enough to make it worthwhile. Trolls remind me of those people who create computer viruses - what's the point??


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    #7
    brummytom
    Registered Users Posts: 10,572 ✭✭✭✭brummytom


    Pathetic, socially awkward freaks


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    #8
    The King of Moo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭The King of Moo


    LeeHoffmann wrote: »
    What's the appeal...I guess some people have too much time on their hands, plus they probably get away with it often enough to make it worthwhile. Trolls remind me of those people who create computer viruses - what's the point??

    That's what I don't get about both viruses and trolling: you're causing people annoyance and disruption, and you don't get anything out of it or even get to witness the annoyance you cause.

    Just seems like a lot of effort for nothing.


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    #9
    D'Agger
    Registered Users Posts: 13,385 ✭✭✭✭D'Agger


    Because some people can't be bought

    Some people just want to watch the world burn


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    #10
    ejmaztec
    Registered Users Posts: 23,979 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


    The King of Moo wrote: »
    That's what I don't get about both viruses and trolling: you're causing people annoyance and disruption, and you don't get anything out of it or even get to witness the annoyance you cause.

    Just seems like a lot of effort for nothing.

    Viruses are probably created by people with names such as Norton and McCafee.


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    #11
    working fool
    Registered Users Posts: 813 ✭✭✭working fool


    I suppose Harvey Norman could be concidered a troll ?
    Anyway u people are far too cautious .
    My friend the crown prince of Zambia is depositing 1 million dollars in my account today .
    So I'm outta here .


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    #12
    Duggy747
    Registered Users Posts: 13,295 ✭✭✭✭Duggy747


    Viruses would be created alot of times by people testing their own coding abilities. They set it free on the web to see how far it spreads and if it can bypass the bigger brands of anti-virus software.

    As for trolling, some people are just arseholes. They remind me of people who feel the need to lie all the time to make themselves seem more interesting / funny.


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    #13
    D'Agger
    Registered Users Posts: 13,385 ✭✭✭✭D'Agger


    Duggy747 wrote: »
    As for trolling, some people are just arseholes. They remind me of people who feel the need to lie all the time to make themselves seem more interesting / funny.

    I was thinking the same thing this weekend while I was yachting off the coast of Monaco with my supermodel girlfriend


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    #14
    Spunge
    Registered Users Posts: 2,779 ✭✭✭Spunge


    Im not sure. What i am sure of is that gays are going to hell.


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    #15
    Duggy747
    Registered Users Posts: 13,295 ✭✭✭✭Duggy747


    PaulieC wrote: »
    I was thinking the same thing this weekend while I was yachting off the coast of Monaco with my supermodel girlfriend

    I know a guy who own's Monaco and let's me run it on weekends because he trusts me so much and I fixed his Xbox once for him.


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    #16
    working fool
    Registered Users Posts: 813 ✭✭✭working fool


    ejmaztec wrote: »
    The King of Moo wrote: »
    That's what I don't get about both viruses and trolling: you're causing people annoyance and disruption, and you don't get anything out of it or even get to witness the annoyance you cause.

    Just seems like a lot of effort for nothing.

    Viruses are probably created by people with names such as Norton and McCafee.

    I got a new computer with 6 months free Internet security .
    It was never connected to the net .
    When the 6 months where up it did an automatic scan and said there was 30+ viruses on it ?


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    #17
    Napper Hawkins
    Registered Users Posts: 1,903 ✭✭✭Napper Hawkins


    Why do people troll?


    Because there's only so much **** a person can do in a day and you've gotta fill in the gaps between sessions somehow.


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    #18
    efb
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35,514 ✭✭✭✭efb


    They are wind up merchants and their reason d'être seems to just upset people


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    #19
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    The reason that most people can't get their heads around it is probably the reason trolls prosper.

    Don't mind a bit of lighthearted trolling when its funny or non-malicious or when a person's genuinely felt niche opinion is contraversial enough to annoy the majority which does happen sometimes.

    It's just the ones that genuinely want to get other users into trouble and derail a forum are c+nts.

    I also utterly despise users that drag in outsiders to a forum. Like that little fashion around here a few years back of trying to make a net celebrity of some randomer via an ad or social networking site. Thankfully the little c+nty coterie that seemed te be into that have gone these days.


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    #20
    chin_grin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    Because....
    ............................................................................ ............................................................................ ............................................................................................. ........................................................................................ .................................................................................. ........................................................................ ..................................................................................... .............................................................................. ................................................................................ .................................................................................... ................................................................................... ................................................................................... ...............................................................................


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    #21
    Leftist
    Registered Users Posts: 2,230 ✭✭✭Leftist


    why do people insist on using americanisms like troll?


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    #22
    Spacedog
    Registered Users Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭Spacedog


    All about perspective, I get called a troll for telling basic truths on the Christianity board, yet i consider most posters there to be trolls for saying they believe a magic man in the sky hates gays and abortion, so they do too.

    go figure.


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    #23
    Logical Fallacy
    Registered Users Posts: 5,933 ✭✭✭Logical Fallacy


    Leftist wrote: »
    why do people insist on using americanisms like troll?

    How is troll an Americanism when it's most direct and applicable root is French?


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    #24
    Leftist
    Registered Users Posts: 2,230 ✭✭✭Leftist


    Spacedog wrote: »
    All about perspective, I get called a troll for telling basic truths on the Christianity board, yet i consider most posters there to be trolls for saying they believe a magic man in the sky hates gays and abortion, so they do too.

    go figure.

    There you go.

    Anyone who doesn't get trolling has never really been to the pub have they? wind ups are part and parcel of irish culture (well Dublin culture because we don't take ourselves as seriously).
    No harm in it.


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    #25
    Leftist
    Registered Users Posts: 2,230 ✭✭✭Leftist


    Logical Fallacy wrote: »
    How is troll an Americanism when it's most direct and applicable root is French?

    The term for winding up on the internet is american in origin.

    I don't care if the actual troll stories come from france.


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    #26
    chin_grin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,808 ✭✭✭✭chin_grin


    Leftist wrote: »
    why do people insist on using americanisms like troll?

    Because it's not an Americanism. It's one of those internet-isms. Just because you hear the word with a US accent doesn't mean that it's from there.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet)


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    #27
    V_Moth
    Registered Users Posts: 1,423 ✭✭✭V_Moth


    FOR TEH LULZ....


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    #28
    Logical Fallacy
    Registered Users Posts: 5,933 ✭✭✭Logical Fallacy


    Leftist wrote: »
    The term for winding up on the internet is american in origin.

    I don't care if the actual troll stories come from france.

    Troller = to hunt.

    This has nothing to do with troll stories.


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    #29
    The King of Moo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭The King of Moo


    Leftist wrote: »
    why do people insist on using americanisms like troll?

    What other term could you use?


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    #30
    Leftist
    Registered Users Posts: 2,230 ✭✭✭Leftist


    The King of Moo wrote: »
    What other term could you use?
    wumming is the uk/irish term.

    Trolling in the internet sense is an americanism, came from america, ergo an americanism. Oh but it was used to describe goat herding in france in the 15th century. Arsed, Didn't have chat zones back then.


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    #31
    The King of Moo
    Registered Users Posts: 8,207 ✭✭✭The King of Moo


    Leftist wrote: »
    wumming is the uk/irish term.

    Trolling in the internet sense is an americanism, came from america, ergo an americanism. Oh but it was used to describe goat herding in france in the 15th century. Arsed, Didn't have chat zones back then.

    I've never heard that at all.

    Sounds slightly dirty, in a good way.


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