Why do people troll?

The King of Moo

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.

William_Hicley

If you have to ask, you will never know.

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

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.

TheZohanS

Personality disorders tbh.

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

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??

brummytom

Pathetic, socially awkward freaks

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.

D'Agger

Because some people can't be bought

Some people just want to watch the world burn

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.

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 .

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.

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

Spunge

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

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.

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 ?

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.

efb

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

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.

chin_grin

Because....

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Leftist

why do people insist on using americanisms like troll?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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)

V_Moth

FOR TEH LULZ....

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.

The King of Moo

Leftist wrote: »

why do people insist on using americanisms like troll?

What other term could you use?

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.

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.

LeeHoffmann

If trolling = wumming, does troll = wumm?

Calling somebody a wumm seems like childish name-callinging
"Don't mind him - he's just a wumm"

Snakeblood

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.

Where did wumming come from? I've been on the internet for decades and never heard it before.

pickarooney

Duggy747 wrote: »

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.

And he even gives you access to any of the planes on the tarmac at the nearest large airport.

Which is Nice.

Rwood

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.

The amazing thing about a democratic society is that people are free to voice their opinions and even if god forbid that those opinions are different from those that are held by somebody else does not make them wrong just different.
Not everybody think the same as you and reporting them because they have the audacity to stand by what they believe is not very democratic or liberal.
To me to report somebody because they don't back your point of view is small minded.
As for trolling why post your opinions on a public forum unless you are willing to have somebody disagree with you. How are people meant to find threads that they wish to respond to unless they Troll through and find a post that is of interest to them or that they may be willing to add their six shillings to the discussion.
If this is not what you are after I suggest you open private chats so that you can invite like minded people who share your view of the world.

Leftist

Snakeblood wrote: »

Where did wumming come from? I've been on the internet for decades and never heard it before.

Wind up merchant.
Wuming sounds wrong, but arguably it's all wrong. So wrong.

To me trolling sounds like something a 15 year old american would do.

Wumming is a man's game.

Eric Cartman

Some men just want to watch the world burn.

Especially the nigerians , i hear they all get 2000 euro a month dole even before they get here , they caused the recession , abd stole all your lightbulbs

The King of Moo

Rwood wrote: »

The amazing thing about a democratic society is that people are free to voice their opinions and even if god forbid that those opinions are different from those that are held by somebody else does not make them wrong just different.
Not everybody think the same as you and reporting them because they have the audacity to stand by what they believe is not very democratic or liberal.
To me to report somebody because they don't back your point of view is small minded.
As for trolling why post your opinions on a public forum unless you are willing to have somebody disagree with you. How are people meant to find threads that they wish to respond to unless they Troll through and find a post that is of interest to them or that they may be willing to add their six shillings to the discussion.
If this is not what you are after I suggest you open private chats so that you can invite like minded people who share your view of the world.

I never said anything about reporting posts.

I also never said I had a problem with people disagreeing with me, or even trolling.
Just that I don't understand trolling.

*thinks about bolded part of post* - http://i.qkme.me/2j8q.jpg

Stiffler2

Duggy747 wrote: »

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.

Weren't Viruses originally created by Microsoft / Apple attacking each other's companies & it took off from there ? or so that's how the rumour goes

Logical Fallacy

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.

Your understanding of etymology is extremely stilted.

But that largely goes hand in hand with your understanding of most things from what i can see.

Snakeblood

Stiffler2 wrote: »

Weren't Viruses originally created by Microsoft / Apple attacking each other's companies & it took off from there ? or so that's how the rumour goes

Nah, some kid who was the son of the head of the NSA (I think it was) did a harmless virus that would go from PC to PC, check if it was already there, if it wasn't, it'd make a copy of itself, then move on to the next PC. He did it as an exercise, but didn't realise that he made a mistake in the program, and it didn't pay attention to whether there was a pre-existing copy of itself on the pc, and would just replicate.

Instant WORLDWIDE MELTDOWN.

Wait, that was worm, not virus.

flutterflye

I think that all the trolls are just scumbags on the dole with too much time on their hands. There are loads of jobs out there, they should get off their ass and get one. It's easy if you actually try.

mcmoustache

I think that there are many shades of trolling - some good and some bad. Bullying or arguing with the whole forum for the sake of giving grief is definitely bad but funny trolling when done right can be quite entertaining.

I'd even go so far as to say that everyone should try some trolling as part of their internet education so that they can spot trolls later in life.

Start out in Paranormal and tell a story about creaking noises at night and maybe mention a dead relative and see how you get on. Start a thread in Conspiracy Theories about Lizard people from space. Go to LGBT and pretend to be a hardcore catholic.

After you've trolled everywhere (don't forget to post about the wonders of horse-radish sauce in Mustard) and when you think you've mastered trolling, visit PI and see how subtly you can recommend suicide as a viable option to some of the posters. When a decent numbers of posters mysteriously stop posting, then you can crown yourself "King of the Trolls".

lastlaugh

Leftist wrote: »

why do people insist on using americanisms like troll?

Just to clarify this.

The term 'Trolling' originates as a description of people from Nordic countries where they have a tendancy to have snub noses, big googly eyes and wild hair.

Also, they are generally very annoying in their opinions and mannerisms.

Spunge

flutterflye wrote: »

I think that all the trolls are just scumbags on the dole with too much time on their hands. There are loads of jobs out there, they should get off their ass and get one. It's easy if you actually try.

i like it

Sunnyisland

People troll to get a reaction from others unleashing one or more cynical or sarcastic remarks on other posters,I would say most if not all of them say things that they wouldn't have the nerve or guts to say to ones face because it's the internet and, hey, they can.

Sunnyisland

flutterflye wrote: »

I think that all the trolls are just scumbags on the dole with too much time on their hands. There are loads of jobs out there, they should get off their ass and get one. It's easy if you actually try.

I would call this trolling & just generalising and looking for a reaction.

Dudess

The thing about saying dumb stuff, e.g. nobody should get the dole, and genuinely believing that's true is: the holder of such a view can never back it up with anything decent, and often gets stroppy and trolly when taken to task on it. Not much better than trolling IMO. If the holders of stupid views like the above were able to put forward decent, well-thought arguments to support them, then great - more power to them. But it rarely, if ever, happens.

Trolling with a bit of wit can be funny though - there are a few members here who did that when they joined, and made me lol, and they're still here, albeit more like regular users now.

Leftist wrote: »

why do people insist on using americanisms like troll?

It's a universal term for a particular internet phenomenon and it happened to originate in America?

Like lots of terms.

flutterflye

realies wrote: »

I would call this trolling & just generalising and looking for a reaction.

I would call it me being hilarious actually!

Nah, I honestly have no idea why people troll.
It makes absolutely no sense.
I don't mind the funny ones, but there are some right saddos out there that are really mean, or stalk posters, or just generally aggressive.
There must be something seriously wrong with them.
Maybe it's similar to the schoolyard bully?
Who knows..

MyKeyG

Duggy747 wrote: »

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.

That's how I tested my herpes treatment.

Ellis Dee

If they had more science faction stuff on TV, I'd definitely cut down on my trolling.:D:D:D