Each day we visit OPP to see what others are thinking... to add our own thoughts, and some say to correct misleading or misunderstood facts. This is all fine and well until the dreaded Trolls arrive with their one line comments that include “wake up, sheeple” or perhaps “you are all fools.” Many of us just by pass these remarks because these people are a type of troll.... meaning they have nothing useful to apply to the conversation or topic.

There are two other types of Trolls that seem to have made their homes on OPP. The first, I term as Gish Galloping. These folks seem to have no limit to their ability to present a cyber-flood of individually-weak arguments. They seem to do this to prevent rebuttal without expending much energy. They are the Johnny Appleseed of unrelated ideas and comments which they insert into conversation to sow confusion to make themselves appear (mostly to themselves) that they are intellectually better equipped or knowledgeable in a wide range of topics.

The other Troll we deal with is the JAQing Off; or the Just Asking Questions. These folks are very much like the Gish Galloper, with an exception. They simply toss out question after question. They have nothing to say, but they pick a line from your last response and ask real off the wall questions. Their goal, to take over the conversation and have you defend or prepare response to which they have only one interest, to find something they can send you off researching... and they keep this up as long as you make the effort to prepare responses. It does not take long for all other who normally would add to the conversation to abandon the thread leaving only two people involved; one doing research and the other JAQing Off!

And both of these types of Trolls (yes, there are other types) are extremely affective. They seem to be limitless in summoning "alternative facts" one after the other, making it impossible to counter all of them and in the end when you walk away, it appears as though they won the "argument" or the discussion. This reinforces their mindsets and they will repeat those actions which they feel are successful.

At this point, I ask why do we feed those Trolls, should we feed them, or put in the effort to respond to them? Do they deserve a cogent reply? For my opinion.... I say yes! Not to make them happy or even to "win" the debate, but because while doing research to respond to our Trolls, one can not help but learn something new. The OPP Trolls force us to be intellectually honest intellectually honest.

All opinions, and yes even the Trolls, are welcome to share their views..... so what say you? Feed them or let them starve for attention?