The Art of trolling

[Totenkopf]

Anonymity is not wrong in itself, nor is trolling, as long as it's not overly obscene or harrassment. Troll-paranoia and moderation-frenzy may pose more dangers than do "trolls": there are some witty trolls around--and not all of them are rightists or, Osiris forbid, loser-jackoffs on welfare who spend their days scrolling through warez and lesbo porn sites . (and the term itself--"troll" (like living under a bridge eating goats, dewd) is rather juvenile geekspeak from '95-96) . Anti-troll measures (or filters blocking certain IPs--including proxies) usually result in a sort of closing down of debate and restrictions on language (tho' spam is another matter--even semi- interesting financial and/or porn spam should be blocked/verboten). And I think many liberals are guilty of a sort of double-standard--ye olde J-Edgarism-- in regards to trolling: they may claim to value free expression, but they want it only on their terms. Even Chomsky (I don't agree with all of his writing) has said some things in favor of a non-moderated Net, and there are good grounds for some FCC or national codes preventing any moderation, except the moderation of threats (but one could leave those as well--the old newsgroups did).

Democratic Underground (not to say the late and lamented Litkix) originally was a very open board, with lots of discussion---and yeah sometimes people said FUCK, or whatever--now it's become as moderated and corporatized as rightist sites. Troll generally implies dissenter or outsider now; it formerly referred only to disruptors, or flamers. They are not equivalent. Personally, I d rather see rightists or baptist boneheads on liberal or atheist sites (and making fools of themselves), or marxists and anarchists on rightist or Xtian sites than to prevent them from posting via the Troll badge-button.

[Lightning Rod]

you get a from me on this one

(not only that, it's good writing)

[mnaz]

Of course. Dissent is not disruption, or flaming..

Or is it?

[stilltrucking]

The SS Totenkopf "Death's Head" Honor Ring was instituted at the personal behest of Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler and was awarded for outstanding achievement and loyalty. It is the most highly prized of all SS awards.

http://www.thirdreich.ca/ssto.htm

[Doreen Peri]

your writing style is so familiar, i could swear i knew you once upon a time and we had a bit of a tiff

[Totenkopf]

Thanks, Mr. LR. While censorship/moderation issues have been discussed ad nauseum, they remain as important as ever. Many of the moderators of the big name "liberal" sites--say DU, Slate, or Kos--have themselves become, I assert, over the last few years, substantially more controlling and paranoid. Simply to object to someone's writing--whether to marxists or to neo-cons--often results in deletion and blocking (what you are not down with Stalinism?).

Totenkopf is german for "death's head"--i.e. a skull; but no SS or nazi meanings were intended. Death-awareness--thanatopsis-- an important aspect of every scribbler's ideology (or wannabe scribbler)

your writing style is so familiar, i could swear i knew you once upon a time

Whaa? Perish the thought, dear.

[stilltrucking]

It is a good moniker, I was just curious. Thanks for the reply

I used this picture of a three thousand year old Chinese pottery bowl as an avatar one time. Someone took offense to it.

[Doreen Peri]

You've been banned at those sites, too, I take it?

Hey well you know me, Mr. P. To get back to the trolling subject... I don't take too kindly to trolling. I delete 'em almost as soon as I see 'em.

Sometimes I like to give them a little rope first, though, so I can watch them hang themselves.

I'm such a sadist.

Happy Holidays.

[stilltrucking]

I missed him. He is interesting. I was deleted so many times at that other board I have developed a sympathy for trolls.

It is your spirit that makes this place what it is doreen. I pander you not.

Maybe the thing that depressed me most was the pissing contest he got into with with certain male posters. I was very disapointed with them.

"Shut up or I will shut you up." stuff like that.

Water under the bridge.

[Doreen Peri]

awww... well no reason to miss him ... not for now anyway. Because Mr. T is Mr. P it's easy to see.

(He's only person who was ever banned from this board, btw.... lotsa names, same person. *shrug* Is there a certain amount of fame that goes along with that? "the only person who was ever banned here"... hmmm... fame like that is overrated... well matter of fact, all fame is overrated, imo)

[Totenkopf]

So much for a discussion of cyber-ethics.
How about defining trolling, for one. Is the first thread here trolling? I doubt you could provide a definition, but then most of the political/philosophical concepts bandied about here could not be defined either.

Tant pis. I don't really care, either way; most of the php sites generally become sort of de facto scab halls if not mini-gangs within a few months. I'm a published writer and educator with my own sites, and long proxy lists.

[Arcadia]

Edgar Allan skull?. Good that you missed the bones..!!!!!!!

[stilltrucking]

lotsa names, same person.

Geez Doreen I thought I was the only one here with sock puppets.


Interesting topic TK. I will try to sit on my hands and see what develops.

I have only ever posted to two online communities this one and litkicks.



Everything is cool except death threats. I am very paranoid.

[whimsicaldeb]

And I think many liberals are guilty of a sort of double-standard--ye olde J-Edgarism-- in regards to trolling: they may claim to value free expression, but they want it only on their terms.

I agree. But not just to trolling, but hold this double standard to a great many things.

And welcome back, I'm glad your back. This place hasn't been the same without you. IMO, this board has been less than it could and should have been because it's been lacking your input.

You've been banned at those sites, too, I take it?

Hey well you know me, Mr. P. To get back to the trolling subject... I don't take too kindly to trolling. I delete 'em almost as soon as I see 'em.

Sometimes I like to give them a little rope first, though, so I can watch them hang themselves.

Doreen, please don't ban him again. I know it's your board, and I know how he tended to get under your skin most of all...

still ...

Most other boards, when shit starts up, the old timers come in and say things like "Please don't feed the troll!" or "Stop Feeding The Troll" or "Feed The Troll At Your Own Risk" and that tends to be enough. It lets those who don't want to duke it out with "The Troll" stop posting and back away when they are ready, while leaving the thread open for those who do want duke it out with "The Troll" go on and duck it out, and the lumps fall where they may. Where all adults here, and if someone gets hurt duking it out ... well, that's life. That's what happens when people fight, people get hurt. And if so, it's not a board owner, or board monitor’s place to "fix it" (..let me kiss the booboo and make it all better). We're adults.

I know you don't like fighting and that you don't do it yourself, but sometimes a fight is necessary and is going to happen no matter what you (or anyone else) does or doesn't do, and valuable things are learned by both sides via fighting.

If you're going to have a full and alive board, you're going to have to make room for the fact that sometimes people who don't agree and have a lot of passion about things are going to get into it from time to time and when that happens board monitors don't have to censor the experience (and that includes saying no name calling), don't have to to make it alright or stop it ... instead they can, and should, step back and let it play through to it's naturally conclusion and let the people involved grow from the experience.

That's my 2 cents worth.

Then again I've been labelled as being like Mr. P. myself, which is true; I can be just as direct and tenacious ... so obviously I'm biased. However … if you’re accepting of me, find me valuable, then I ask you extend your acceptance to include the newly resurrected Mr. P - Totenkopf.

[Doreen Peri]

Thanks for your input, Deb.

Frankly, a lot of his posts offend me.

Even the moniker he has chosen offends me.

*shrug*

Am I easily offended?

By racism, yes. By insults, yes. By behavior that is not in keeping with being an adult worthy of respect because the adult respects others.

Whether that type of thing "livens up the board" or not. It doesn't matter to me.

It's been difficult enough battling the spam bots for a year. I don't want the site to have any links to porn sites or pharmeceutical sites or hubs selling ringtones or anything else. We're not here to promote that sort of thing. Finally, we seem to have temporarily won that battle.

And we're also not here to allow real people to insult individual members or to promote bigotry, hatred, racism, and personal insults.

We'll see what happens but I'm pretty sure it won't last long. It never does. I'm already ready to delete his post on the "is the word nigger offensive" thread.

I try to accept and enjoy all people but there are some types of behavior I don't need and will not accept in my life and this site is a big part of my life.

Does he have an X on his back? Yes. Why? He pasted it there and continually points it out.

Am I feeding the troll? Probably.

But I'm not going to keep feeding it long.

It's Christmas! Light and Love is what i'd prefer to promote (and that whether it was Christmas or not)

Would you let a person back into home who had called you names, thrown up on the floor, started many fistfights, thrown your food in your face and poured your drink over your head?

I don't think so.