Could trolling be a mental health issue or is it harmless?

Someone one young who thinks they are having a laugh or that weird story about the Russian troll farm is one thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_web_brigades

However actual apparently rational adults doing it what are they getting out of it.

interesting question if it came to light that an actual adult was trolling AH and you were interviewing them for a job would it be concerning or would you think they were just having a laugh.

I am not sure but to me, it would come down on the side of behavior is concerning.

It's a manifestation of self-loathing.

TomSweeney

Depends on the level like anything.
Big difference between harassment and obsessivley replying and goading someone for a reaction, than the odd funny gif/meme in a sarcastic response ...


Could drinking alcohol be a health issue or is it harmless ??

degrees!!!

Pintman Paddy Losty

Can't understand it myself. Definitely something deeply wrong with individuals who get some kick out of winding people up.

by far the bigger problem are the trolls that exist in an organised fashion to push certain themes/messages/viewpoints and obstruct/obfuscates others

boards riddled with these tbh and the moderation infrastructure demands they be protected as if genuine

suicide_circus

are we talking about people who viciously abuse people on twitter or people who do tongue in cheek strawman wind ups?

Franz Von Peppercorn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

by far the bigger problem are the trolls that exist in an organised fashion to push certain themes/messages/viewpoints and obstruct/obfuscates others

boards riddled with these tbh and the moderation infrastructure demands they be protected as if genuine

A troll isn’t someone who disagrees with you. And I doubt there are groups targeting boards.

Harassing online is a different issue.

Mr. Incognito

Just sad attention seeking twits.

Arghus

They're just sad individuals to be honest.

JohnnyFlash

Might be doing it for the ‘lols’. Winding people up who take the internet far too seriously. Only a theory mind.

suicide_circus

suicide_circus wrote: »

are we talking about people who viciously abuse people on twitter or people who do tongue in cheek strawman wind ups?

That a good question, however picking the hot-button items on AH welfare, social housing, gender and the like and deliberately deciding to have a wind-up can be on the border of having a laugh/ peculiar, even if its just having a laugh it is slightly odd for an adult to do.

It's not satire or anything like that.

amcalester

Pintman Paddy Losty wrote: »

Can't understand it myself. Definitely something deeply wrong with individuals who get some kick out of winding people up.

Trigger Happy

It’s generally not a mental health issue but not harmless either. Doubtless some trolls are nuts, some just mean spirited and some just in the wind up.
But some trolls only exist in the eyes of others who don’t like the person’s style or point of view.

Drumpot

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

A troll isn’t someone who disagrees with you. And I doubt there are groups targeting boards.

Harassing online is a different issue.

It can be hard to differentiate a person who is trolling from a person who is either not very bright, cant reflect objectively on their own views or just entrenched in an alternative view (or all these things).

suicide_circus

mariaalice wrote: »

That a good question, however picking the hot-button items on AH welfare, social housing, gender and the like and deliberately deciding to have a wind-up can be on the border of having a laugh/ peculiar, even if its just having a laugh it is slightly odd for an adult to do.

It's not satire or anything like that.

I suppose I'd need examples to see exactly what you're talking about. Also, who decides that it's not satire? the writer or the reader? bit of a grey area I would have thought.

degsie

The internet should introduce troll charges.

Gatling

I'd say it's likely someone who's actually lonely and seeking attention more than anything.

But we definitely have a few visits from the Moscow troll factory over the last 5 years especially around the political forums ,

Trigger Happy

Trigger Happy wrote: »

It’s generally not a mental health issue but not harmless either. Doubtless some trolls are nuts, some just mean spirited and some just in the wind up.
But some trolls only exist in the eyes of others who don’t like the person’s style or point of view.

On the other hand, some are funny, but the funny ones general know that most know they are trolls and I would say they are witty in real life.

The best response to the others is to answer them deadpan as if your taking them seriously :P

incentsitive

Plenty of trolling is just harmless bit of craic, saying something to get a reaction out of people is just part of the craic really is it not?
If you take what people say online too seriously, more the fool you in my view!
And if people can't give and take a bit of slagging, without getting worked up about stuff, more the fool they again!

valoren

I think the closest experience of trolling I have witnessed was my brother in law on Facebook. Now this guy hates soccer, GAA etc. He's 44 years old, big into his super bikes, rock music. The blurb on his page even says 'straight thinkin, no bull****, hate football, GAA '. He is your classic "I'm right and you're wrong and even when you prove me wrong I'm still right" personality type. Whenever matches happen which are significant to his FB friends it spurs him into action. A recent example was the CL final with Liverpool last May. He posted to a Liverpool page with "I can't understand people who love soccer, it's **** and anyone following it is a wanker tbh".

Naturally he got a reaction. Obviously many were not very erudite. After getting the reaction, he then segues into engaging in the 'I'm right' argument with a better than you attitude. Clearly he is insecure and I guess inflaming soccer fans lends credibility to his hatred for it. He's just a dick head with a platform basically.

It can be indicative of low self-esteem and even self loathing but not always. It really depends on the level and the motivation. To take a really basic example, lets say my life would be complete if I had a BMW. It eats away at me and I feel like less of a person than those who have one. So over I go to the motors forum and take my anger and frustration out on all the Beemer owners. Seething with hatred.

It is really projecting our own crap on to others. There are a few here who annoy me and I think God I'd love to troll the crap out of them. Now if I were to dig underneath that annoyance and ask myself what is it that I really don't like, what is it about this person that evokes such irritation in me, this stranger. I might find the answer lies more with my stuff.

TomSweeney

valoren wrote: »

I think the closest experience of trolling I have witnessed was my brother in law on Facebook. Now this guy hates soccer, GAA etc. He's 44 years old, big into his super bikes, rock music. The blurb on his page even says 'straight thinkin, no bull****, hate football, GAA '. He is your classic "I'm right and you're wrong and even when you prove me wrong I'm still right" personality type. Whenever matches happen which are significant to his FB friends it spurs him into action. A recent example was the CL final with Liverpool last May. He posted to a Liverpool page with "I can't understand people who love soccer, it's **** and anyone following it is a wanker tbh".

Naturally he got a reaction. Obviously many were not very erudite. After getting the reaction, he then segues into engaging in the 'I'm right' argument with a better than you attitude. Clearly he is insecure and I guess inflaming soccer fans lends credibility to his hatred for it. He's just a dick head with a platform basically.

^^ happens a lot, I don't get people who claim they don't give a crap about something then bitch about it whenever it comes up ..

incentsitive

TomSweeney wrote: »

^^ happens a lot, I don't get people who claim they don't give a crap about something then bitch about it whenever it comes up ..

Yeah that's called small man syndrome.....

incentsitive

incentsitive wrote: »

Plenty of trolling is just harmless bit of craic, saying something to get a reaction out of people is just part of the craic really is it not?
If you take what people say online too seriously, more the fool you in my view!
And if people can't give and take a bit of slagging, without getting worked up about stuff, more the fool they again!

But its not funny if someone is channeling some mental health issue through ruminating about those on welfare, or in social housing, or their issues with women, it is unhealthy, but thats life, or maybe it just a coping mechanism for a stressful life.

The troll thinks they are having a great laugh by upping the ante but they are not its a weird behavior.

I'm very interested in the concepts of projection, transference and counter-transference. It's hard to tell if and where it happens on a forum but I have gotten a sense of it in some very emotive threads. Indeed I've engaged in it myself during the abortion debate. Or another possible place it appears is threads relating to children and relationships. These are very close to the bone topics for many.

Tell me how

I think there is something about the combination of ease of access to discussions on various topics, anonymity and a poor self esteem which leads someone to partake in trolling like activities.

I'm always curious about the numbers who post negatively on radio and tv threads. I would say that 70%+ of posters on those threads are inclined to be negative about the show or presenter. I'm not foolish enough to suggest every show/presenter is wonderful but the numbers of those being negative often seems to be disproportionate to the popularity of the show in real life. There are many shows I am not a fan of, but I don't see the point of seeking out discussions on a topic which I dislike and so I stay away from those threads. But many don't.

I think the degree of imbalance in self-esteem (in either direction) is what can push someone in to trolling territory but I wouldn't think that it is a mental health issue in and of itself. Without the anonymity, I suspect many would not open their mouths as they do online whereas if it had a mental health root cause, I suspect they still would.

.......

incentsitive wrote: »

Plenty of trolling is just harmless bit of craic, saying something to get a reaction out of people is just part of the craic really is it not?
If you take what people say online too seriously, more the fool you in my view!
And if people can't give and take a bit of slagging, without getting worked up about stuff, more the fool they again!

I just dont understand the mindset of the bolded part above.

Then again, Ive never been someone who found upsetting other people funny.

Pintman Paddy Losty

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Cognitive dissonance or a smokescreen, what do you genuinely believe yourself?

What are you suggesting pal?

Cienciano

The problem isn't the trolls, it's the idiots who can't spot an obvious troll and get wound up by it. It's hilarious and also quite sad to watch

Franz Von Peppercorn

Can people give an example of the type of thing they think is trolling. And how they differentiate it from opinion.

A troll to me is a wind up merchant. We had them before the internet. It’s not someone abusive (that’s different and should be policed) nor someone with a strong opinion, nor someone who loves to hate joe Duffy, nor over criticism of travellers.

I can spot a few - on a Brexit thread someone who says the solution is to join the U.K. etc.

But in general I’m wondering (without necessarily links) what examples people are talking about. And how you know people are trolling (trying to get a reaction) rather than just pushing their own opinion.

incentsitive

Ivan Yates starts almost every show with stuff to wind up Munster Fans, non Man City fans, etc.
Its trolling but its harmless, and yet people still text in venting their spleen. I think if people get wound up by things like that, then maybe they need to look at how easily wound up they are!

Hercule Poirot

Ah here, mental health issue me hole - if people are too fragile to take a jibing or a slagging then they should disconnect their internet and read a book or something

On another thread last week a few posters insinuated that I was a simpleton or an idiot (or possibly both) - I read their comments and went on with my day, if people aren't strong enough to do that then they shouldn't be on the internet

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Can people give an example of the type of thing they think is trolling. And how they differentiate it from opinion.

A troll to me is a wind up merchant. We had them before the internet. It’s not someone abusive (that’s different and should be policed) nor someone with a strong opinion, nor someone who loves to hate joe Duffy, nor over criticism of travellers.

I can spot a few - on a Brexit thread someone who says the solution is to join the U.K. etc.

But in general I’m wondering (without necessarily links) what examples people are talking about. And how you know people are trolling (trying to get a reaction) rather than just pushing their own opinion.

https://tinyurl.com/pqqux9a would be an example.

Harmless troll fun. Trolling can be quite fun. What the OP is referring to I think is at the other end of trolling, which can have serious consequences.

iLikeWaffles

Listen people need to eat fish it is part of a balanced diet if fishermen didn't troll there'd be no flatfish to eat at all. A world without flatfish, couldn't imagine it..

I don't know many people that consider it to be a mental health issue, people need to make a living and eat, but in some circumstances it can be harmful. Overfishing is a big problem in most countries.

Cienciano

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Can people give an example of the type of thing they think is trolling. And how they differentiate it from opinion.

A troll to me is a wind up merchant. We had them before the internet. It’s not someone abusive (that’s different and should be policed) nor someone with a strong opinion, nor someone who loves to hate joe Duffy, nor over criticism of travellers.

I can spot a few - on a Brexit thread someone who says the solution is to join the U.K. etc.

But in general I’m wondering (without necessarily links) what examples people are talking about.

If a troll is a wind up merchant, Joe Duffy himself is one professionally and he doesn't even know it. So is the Daily Mail. I remember listening to a guy who used to work for the daily mail, (print form, back before the website was so popular). He said he was always told to go back and rewrite articles. If the reader wasn't outraged by something by the end of the article he had failed.

Trolling on boards is easy. You're protected because people can't call you out on it, just make it look like a half legitimate viewpoint and you're sorted. Easy to bump your bullshíte thread to the top constantly too. Anyone who calls you a troll is yellow carded cos that's against the rules.

Tell me how

incentsitive wrote: »

Ivan Yates starts almost every show with stuff to wind up Munster Fans, non Man City fans, etc.
Its trolling but its harmless, and yet people still text in venting their spleen. I think if people get wound up by things like that, then maybe they need to look at how easily wound up they are!

I think that Ivan (or similar) is more partaking in light hearted banter which does happen a lot in sport. In my mind, trolling goes beyond that to persist with a contradictory position in the face of empirical evidence which you are choosing to ignore.

For example, I texted a friend who is a Man Utd fan this morning to tell them about Mark Hughes being sacked after a poor performance against a poor team (Man Utd). I don't think that that is trolling but if I persisted with claiming Utd were a terrible team with no right to think of themselves any other way and that they were just undeservedly lucky to win all the trophies they won, then that is trolling behaviour.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Can people give an example of the type of thing they think is trolling. And how they differentiate it from opinion.

A troll to me is a wind up merchant. We had them before the internet. It’s not someone abusive (that’s different and should be policed) nor someone with a strong opinion, nor someone who loves to hate joe Duffy, nor over criticism of travellers.

I can spot a few - on a Brexit thread someone who says the solution is to join the U.K. etc.

But in general, I’m wondering (without necessary links) what examples people are talking about.

It's too diffuse unless it's overt, that's why with one I have in mind it a mixture of arrogance a lack of empathy and believing themselves more intelligent than those they are winding up, to them prof their intelligence is how they keep the windup in the realms of almost believable.

A good example is Angue when he posts, he knows he is a wind-up, so does everyone else and he is still good enough and witty enough to get a subtle pop at issues that annoy him.

.......

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Can people give an example of the type of thing they think is trolling. And how they differentiate it from opinion.

Quite an extreme example, but the woman who was outed by a Sky News reporter for trolling the McCanns over their daughters disappearance.

I remember they released a log of the number of times she tweeted about it, and its was literally every half hour or so at one point. Even on Christmas Day, there was a break where presumably she was having family dinner, then back at it.

After being outed she killed herself.

incentsitive

incentsitive wrote: »

Ivan Yates starts almost every show with stuff to wind up Munster Fans, non Man City fans, etc.
Its trolling but its harmless, and yet people still text in venting their spleen. I think if people get wound up by things like that, then maybe they need to look at how easily wound up they are!

Everyone knows he is doing he well know for being a wind-up merchant that is entirely different.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Can people give an example of the type of thing they think is trolling. And how they differentiate it from opinion.

A troll to me is a wind up merchant. We had them before the internet. It’s not someone abusive (that’s different and should be policed) nor someone with a strong opinion, nor someone who loves to hate joe Duffy, nor over criticism of travellers.

I can spot a few - on a Brexit thread someone who says the solution is to join the U.K. etc.

But in general I’m wondering (without necessarily links) what examples people are talking about. And how you know people are trolling (trying to get a reaction) rather than just pushing their own opinion.

Yeah I would assume that trolling is winding people up but harassment and bullying or being nasty is something else entirely, that’s not something I’d consider trolling.

Cleopatra_

It depends on your interpretation really. People like Angus are just funny and harmless to me. Someone who catfishes people is more dangerous and insidious and I think there could be mental health issues there but it depends on the motivation of course. People who harass or bully others online must have some sort of unhappiness in their lives but that behaviour can be very detrimental to others. Some are there to wind people up and I just find it annoying really, I don't see the point in trying to deliberately annoy people. That's not a mental health issue, that's just being a pain in the arse.

incentsitive

mariaalice wrote: »

Everyone knows he is doing he well know for being a wind-up merchant that is entirely different.

Clearly not with the stuff they text in!!

B0jangles

....... wrote: »

I just dont understand the mindset of the bolded part above.

Then again, Ive never been someone who found upsetting other people funny.

Me either.


I've realised recently that I am no more obligated to interact with someone on a messageboard than I would be in real life. Like, I used to know a few people who'd pull the 'I'm only winding yez up/playing Devil's Advocate' card after they'd been told to **** off with their shítty opinions, and now I don't see or interact with those people any more!


Life's really too short to be listening to tedious arseholes.

incentsitive

incentsitive wrote: »

Clearly not with the stuff they text in!!

A lot reply to him with deadpan serious answeres know exactly what they are doing.

Grayson

What about people who don't think they're trolling? Take all the rereg's we get here. Sure some are just trolling but some are people who can't have a rational discussion. They just go overboard and get banned. So they rereg again.

I think the rereg's and trolls are just two sides of the same coin. Neither care about having an actual discussion. Both will post stuff just to outrage people. The difference is the troll doesn't actually believe what they're saying.

freshpopcorn

The constant reregers here just have to much time on their hands.
Most people don't see the half of it because it often happens in the early hours of the morning.
The word trolling is over used in my opinion. I see it thrown around when somebody has a difference of opinion as somebody or them simply saying they don't like something.

retro:electro

I think it’s easy to write off contrary opinion as trolling nowadays. Trolling to me is inflammatory style posting, they usually bounce into threads and stir shlte and then saunter off leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Then you have the complete and utter fantasists, and they are usually pretty easy to spot. Like being an ultra high net business man with a teen wife kinda thing. Complete and utter delusion but more to be pitied really.

retro:electro

retro:electro wrote: »

I think it’s easy to write off contrary opinion as trolling nowadays. Trolling to me is inflammatory style posting, they usually bounce into threads and stir shlte and then saunter off leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Then you have the complete and utter fantasists, and they are usually pretty easy to spot. Like being an ultra high net business man with a teen wife kinda thing. Complete and utter delusion but more to be pitied really.

Its not that, the fantasists and the like are different, A teenagers get a slight free pass because of not having an adult understanding of the complexities of life, but only a slight free pass, it not about not agreeing with someone else's opinion.

When bedlam was first opened it was possible to pay to see the lunatics and poke them with a stick looking for a reaction, it similar to that while not actually believing it themselves or only vaguely interested in the issue trying to subtly up the ante while keeping in the realms of believable, hence why I think its a lack of empathy and other issues going on for them.

Grayson

retro:electro wrote: »

I think it’s easy to write off contrary opinion as trolling nowadays. Trolling to me is inflammatory style posting, they usually bounce into threads and stir shlte and then saunter off leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Then you have the complete and utter fantasists, and they are usually pretty easy to spot. Like being an ultra high net business man with a teen wife kinda thing. Complete and utter delusion but more to be pitied really.

Some are trollish though. take abortion. Most of the posters both pro choice and pro life are able to have a discussion. Things might get heated because it's an emotive subject but most people are able to manage to stay within the lines that make it a discussion.
Some however just dive in with insults. They'll never acknowledge a posters point and address it, they just start screaming.
And in that way their actions are very similar to a trolls and the result is the same.

(and don't think I'm picking on any particular side of that debate. Although I may personally feel some of the worst came from one side, and they were reregs, both had posters that made the threads worse).

suicide_circus

trolling = mental health issue = everyone who has a contrary opinion to me has mental health issues

suicide_circus

suicide_circus wrote: »

trolling = mental health issue = everyone who has a contrary opinion to me has mental health issues

It was a question, not a statement.