woodguru

I am a firm believer that anyone who is going to throw around the dreaded Troll call needs to be well grounded in what a Troll is. The fact of the matter is that there is an extreme likelihood that the person calling someone a Troll may be the only Troll involved. So let's look at how to define a Troll, best done not only by what they are, but what they are not. This makes it far easier to understand for the person who has formed beliefs that they know what a Troll is. The reverse Troll, or Alt-Troll becomes a troll when they erroneously make the call.

First of all, and most important, a person is not a troll because they try to communicate a valid point in a forum where there are a high number of people who do not agree with the point of view in question. To put a fine distinction on this, it's not saying the thing that might anger people of extreme and possibly ignorant points of view that is being a troll, it's saying things that are opposing points of view using insults, name calling, derision, and ridicule. Now, that is not to say that a point really well made and based on facts is not going to make an ignorant person feel stupid, because it should. That is a sign that the facts are getting through.

When an intelligent, well thought out premise that could be easily verified in about 30 seconds if the person who is getting angry resorts to name calling, derision, insults, and ridicule, this person is the troll.

It is actually very easy to see when a topic involves trolls. This goes back to when we were growing up as kids. Good parents tried to get us to ignore someone who was trying to piss you off. If you ignore them you take away their power. If you lash out with name calling, anger, and ridicule, you just lost the argument. In fact when part of your attack involves calling the other person a troll you are the troll.

Trolls are typically not very bright. Typically a troll will not last very long on a site, because it is so obvious that their intent is to be as obnoxious as possible. They have nothing intelligent to say (much like the Alt-troll).

I have done battle with some of the most feared Alt-trolls that have ever lived on a forum, this does not make me a troll. Treating them with respect and replying with facts and sources that cannot be denied simply tips them off the deep end, resulting in escalations of threats, name calling, and derision that cannot be tolerated by the moderators. Seeing a venerable troll being kicked off of a site results in bringing other trolls out of the woodwork (pun intended). Old time trolls get to feeling like they can safely attack those expressing opposite views, and forget to lighten it up, to stop taking things so seriously.

Many people on both sides of the fence will think this is pretty funny. This site doesn't seem to have the really rabid kind that some other sites have. Lol

If people can keep it relatively restrained I can tell some funny stories about GunBroker and PredatorMasters

Lonewolf

Nice post

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

BS. Written like a true troll. I have also read extensively how to spot a troll. There is a difference between a paid troll and someone so entrenched in their ideology they blow up and post innuendo as facts every thread they disagree with. I call you a troll because you have basically admitted it and fit the definition I have read. I guess that makes me a troll except that I use my own name and address. Very un troll like. Nice job though trying to turn it around.

woodguru

On predatormasters, after posting nearly 5000 posts and responses over years, I got fed up with trolls getting to the point where they followed to unrelated sections not dealing with politics, posted my address, started suggesting people "visit me", attacked my wife and her business, etc. Someone posted a formal definition of trolls, and I applied each section to existing members and posts they had made that fit the profile. This was flipping them out, they got more abusive, and I started taking worst case examples and asking moderators to put a stop to it, looking at benign posts and showing where unprovoked attacks started. They posted a warning and said it would not be tolerated, that I had a right to express an opinion, and that I was a hell of a lot more civil than many of their members. A dozen bit the dust in a few days, and dozens more quit in protest. The result was that long time members who had never felt like they could agree or speak without being attacked started weighing in. Topic participation went up dramatically, and the group as a whole started sounding far more intelligent.

I have used the same name for ten years on a couple dozen sites, I used to have no problem sharing my name, and have gotten together with other h****rs shooting coyotes on my property. The right wingers I've met have complimented me on being a gracious host, and having nice quality guns to die for, and that my stories check out. After having some lunatics use information on me to figure out who my wife is and threaten to attack her and her reputation I have had to refrain from being as open about identity as I'd like.

vernon

I read a lot of your stuff.I have very seldom read anything you have had to say that was valid point.at At least 90 of your crap is a lie and at best just
twisted half t***hs.