Does it bug trolls MORE when you ignore them?

[benburch]

http://www.roddyscheer.com.nyud.net:8090/photo/2257/USWASE-00238.jpg

[billyskank]

1. Given the original meaning of the term "troll"

one who deliberately makes inflammatory or controversial posts simply to attract replies, yes of course. Getting replies is the name of the game.

Nowadays the term is used simply to mean any kind of disruptor, or indeed anybody we don't like.

[benburch]

2. Seems to me that it might bug other sorts of disruptors, too.

They all seem to be Attention Whores.

[LeftyMom]

3. Judging by how some of them react

Apparently it burns thier asses more than napalm in thier astroglide. Trolls like attention. It's a mental illness, I think.

[CanuckAmok]

7. Napalm is inert without exposure to flame.

...just sayin'.

[benburch]

8. Valid point!

http://www.secretarmies.com.nyud.net:8090/images/day_flame.jpg

[asthmaticeog]

4. Define "Troll."

Do you mean actual right-winger infiltrating DU, or do you mean someone who disagrees with you and says so openly? Because from what I've observed, I'm not sure you know the difference.

[GirlinContempt]

12. Who're you

talking to? :D

[asthmaticeog]

14. Give that girl a hand!

[GirlinContempt]

15. Uh, you know

I think I'm good. Thanks.

[Cathyclysmic]

5. Jeepers! That troll has some huge hands!

:yoiks:

[benburch]

6. Its even more impressive in real life.

It is under a bridge in the Seattle area.

That VW is life-sized.

[Guava Jelly]

9. hey guys over here

nobody talks to me :(

[benburch]

10. I'll talk to you!

But most people think I'm a Troll.

[Gormy Cuss]

17. Most people here?

I haven't seen evidence that you're treated like a troll by most people. Quite the opposite in fact. There are posters who always disagree with you, that's for certain, but there seem to be a far greater number who react positively to your posts too.


Thanks for posting the Seattle troll. What a fun piece of public art.

[benburch]

26. I guess I take things to heart too easily. nt

[Guava Jelly]

18. why thanks

you still post on bartcop?
I lost mylogin info so instead of starting over i just quit posting there.

[benburch]

22. Yes I do!

I can get you your password. I know the site admins. Do you want it?

[Guava Jelly]

27. sure I love those guys there I can verify old email address or whatever

so they know it's me.
even though none of them exist anymore.
Havent been to white rose for awhile glad to see it is still up and going.
my bartcop name was the same as my DU name.

[benburch]

28. I just dashed off an email. nt

[Guava Jelly]

29. thank you

I'll pm you my new email address

[DemsRBetterLovers]

11. I say take the fight to them

If they are dumb enough to come on this messageboard and pick a fight, they might as well fight all of us.

[benburch]

16. Some of them seem to want to bait us into getting banned ourselves.

Seems to be a sick game with them.

[uppityperson]

23. I've noticed that happening this last week, a lot.

[benburch]

24. Not sure it is happening more now or not.

I've been observing it for over a year now.

[Magrittes Pipe]

13. Dunno.

:shrug:

[Duncan Grant]

19. Q: What's a worse posting strategy than trolling?

A: Artifice

[arwalden]

20. ~

:thumbsup:

[pitohui]

21. i doubt they even notice, many are hit and runs

we've had many a troll where the troll leaves provocative question, starts a huge infight, and is never seen again

i don't think a pure troll feels a need to hang around and watch it all be, the point is to waste your time, not his

a spirited debate is not a troll, all discussions can't be singing "ode to billy jack" around the campfire

[benburch]

25. The less artful trolls are hit-n-runs.

They are really obvious and get TSed in their first dozen postings.

Some are able to keep the front up for ages. One was even a moderator when I was in summer 2004. He had me SO fooled. He had been around for a LONG time and didn't start looking like a troll until very late in the game. And because he had such a long history he got away with it for quite some time after he started posting trollish comments.

On some of the freeptard boards they routinely brag about how many mole accounts there have here, and though some of that is bullshit, some of it is likely true. I think it is a good bet that some of the people you see posting here every day actually call one of those boards home. The question is; Who? But if you start getting all suspicious and that changes how you react to people here, then they have won without firing a shot.

[Quantess]

30. Maybe. It depends.

Most people voted yes, so I voted no, because I think the answer is: sometimes. How's that for a wishy washy answer?

Sometimes a smackdown is in order. Sometimes ignoring makes the problem child shut up.

Classroom teachers have both reactions in their repertoire.
Edited to add: I wasn't good at classroom management, when I was a teacher.

[terrya]

31. Locking

Let's not.

Thanks