Several of my favourite blogs have become infested with trolls. These people – who seem to have more time on their hands than is strictly healthy – get their kicks out of winding up blog authors and their visitors by entering into ridiculous arguments and by generally being unnecessarily unpleasant. The copper blogs tend to get more than their fair share of “haters” and because I have the audacity to read and comment here and there I seem to have attracted a couple of my very own “followers”. Thanks for dropping by*, you make me feel popular.
There are two main methods these trolls use to p**ss people off: playing the man rather than the ball and making straw man arguments. Instead of entering in to a proper discussion of what’s been said, trolls will just dismiss any arguments which contradict their own by accusing the author of being thick. Instead of putting reasoned arguments against a certain opinion, trolls will exaggerate their opposition’s argument out of all proportion and then show how flawed that exaggerated position is. Well done, gold stars all round. Neither of these tactics are new, and what amazes me is that people still use them, presumably thinking that they are the first people to have used them.
Winding up your mates can be fun. Informed debate is one of the things which separates us from the other mammals. But I really cannot get my head around why people waste their time posting unpleasant and pointless comments on people’s blogs. By all means argue against what the author says, if you are so moved to, but why waste your life posting inane cr**p on people’s sites who you do not know? It just seems so utterly pointless to me.
* as a result of irritating comments, I have instituted a new moderation system which may mean that some proper comments take longer to be published than before. Some non-proper comments won’t ever get published.
There are people (I am one of them) who have some kind of weird inner compulsion to read blogs that deeply outrage their sensibilities.
Now, you’re a bit more right-wing than me, but I like your blog & appreciate it. But some blogs, that really wind me up, I don’t seem able to stop myself reading. (I won’t name any names, suffice to say I don’t think they’re friends of yours). It wouldn’t surprise me if half the readers of Littlejohn, Toynbee, etc. were acting on compulsions of this kind.
Why do people do it? I haven’t the foggiest, but I know what the call is.
Trolling is a very subjective action. For example, I got banned from LabourHome and labelled a ‘troll’ for pointing out how absurd one of their articles was. As far as I’m concerned, posting on other people’s sites and disagreeing with someone – even if it does revolve around a straw man – is not trolling because at least you have something to say. Otherwise, being rubbish at forming arguments would always count as trolling and some people just don’t have a very eloquent style. I reserve trolling for describing people who don’t even bother trying to argue their point and just get abusive or idiotic or facetious.
I changed the name of my first blog because there was a persistent ‘troller’, making outrageous comments about my mental capacity and the fact, I reside in Liverpool. This person lives in Manchester and is a typical ‘leftie’ and ardent supporter of Hazel Blears. He has his own site, needless to say, that whenever I commented on some of his unbalanced outpouring,
(in my opinion), he immediatelty attacked me and called me a’Thick Scouser’. If, I felt I had made a valid point, without any bias, he would delete it.
At least, I always use my blogging name whereas, he mainly posts as anon, Big brave bloke that he is!
He too has been banned from many sites, including Guido and Iain Dale. In fact, he’s easily identifiable by his similar abusive rants and poor vocabulary, on several sites.
I don’t doubt Blue he’s done the same to you!
Di.x
Ive been getting a rash of these aswell I had to delete two posts because the situation became untenable Dont publish this This is just to show solidarity
When you do jump would you mind settling a bet that the line “Geronimo lives” can be completed before you hit the pavement?
I think, Blue Eyes, that you should allow your trolls to stay, and set the rest of us on them. If an argument is foolish, its proponent can – and should – be made to look a fool.
Hi Mark, yes I think you are right.
Dear Blue Eyes,
Happily I am now the centre of a trolls attention, as I have been foolish enough to defend PC Bloggs a Lotte.
I fear that the comments, devoid of any interest to the site, have been directed at me.
SPLENDID…
That means that the intelligent individuals have a free reign to rove the site, while I deal with a complete fool.
Outstanding, however, I am of the opinion that calling ‘troll’ (read toll free) free I could talk to the arse, unfortunately this fool is part of a bet.
There you go. But thank you for resisting the stupid.
Can I ask this one question please. Do ‘trolls’ live in the real world?
Hi Tom. I have been trying to assist your battle, but I fear we have just been feeding the troll. Sad little man, isn’t he. Thanks for stopping by over here!
Happy to be here!
You are a pleasant chap aren’t you Doctor Melvin!