Are Trolls Good for Society?

[Blaster86]

Sweet sweet validation.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

What you describe isn't really trolling. A solid troll is most Oilers fans that pop their head up into a thread, say something completely off the wall to get an emotional response and then fade into the background. Only to pop up later on, not reply to any of the posts addressing their drive by post and then say something else for the same effect. It's an art form really.

Bang on. Trolling is art.

Originally Posted by nik-

But Lanny was an old fashioned troll. The "Elder Trolls of the Internet" used to slow play people, they were subtle and dragged you along forever. Mostly you couldn't tell they were trolling. The new trolls are just way too obvious and brazen.

There still exist hilarious long-con trolls, as noted though, they are just less obvious.

In the circles I post in, the difference is High Effort vs Low Effort trolling.

High Effort trolling can be long-cons, media-based trolling (vocal readings of dumb posts, parody videos, etc.), twitter-collecting, sock puppets, and basically anything that both the troll and other viewers (possibly even the mark) may find funny.

Low Effort trolling is usually a lot more obvious, posting with the obvious intent to amuse no one but the troll, and to elicit an instantaneous emotional reaction.

[Huntingwhale]

Trolling is indeed an art. It's even more hilarious when it gets people all riled up. I enjoy a good troll post, but enjoy the overblown reaction even more.

[Matt Reeeeead]

Originally Posted by Locke

Dont say her name!!!

Hey it's not like he mentioned anything about spring1 and her weird obsession with tipping and how she is too hard on waiters and doesn't actually deserve to evaluate them in such a ridiculous degree!

Thankfully since that wasn't mentioned we shouldn't hear from her.

[rubecube]

I don't think the examples in the OP are all trolls. I think some of them are just not very bright.

[Resolute 14]

Or flat out racist.

[SebC]

Is Maritime Q-Scout...

... trolling us?

[Jason14h]

How can anyone thing Trolls in our society are a good thing?

They are ugly, smelly, live under bridges and terrorize poor goats.

Shame on all of you. Shame.

[CaptainCrunch]

On the other hand, they make excellent cookies

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

On the other hand, they make excellent cookies

I have to be honest, I didn't think you would be the fella to confuse Trolls and Elves.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by nik-

They push debates to extremes. People go more extreme when dealing with trolls as a "defense". So no, they're not good. They're the Tea Party of the internet.

I think arguing extremes (or watching extremes be argued) can be really fun, so I guess it depends on what you come to a forum for. If you come here for straight up fact-based, buttoned-down, civil discussions, then I can see why a troll would bother you. If you come here mainly for entertainment and enjoy a bit of craziness, trolls can add to your experience on a forum.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I think arguing extremes (or watching extremes be argued) can be really fun, so I guess it depends on what you come to a forum for. If you come here for straight up fact-based, buttoned-down, civil discussions, then I can see why a troll would bother you. If you come here mainly for entertainment and enjoy a bit of craziness, trolls can add to your experience on a forum.

I have to say your subjective v objective tilt at windmills was awesome.

[Sliver]

Either 'windmills' is a turn of phrase I'm not familiar with or you're confusing me with somebody else. I don't have a strong opinion on windmills.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Either 'windmills' is a turn of phrase I'm not familiar with or you're confusing me with somebody else. I don't have a strong opinion on windmills.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilting_at_windmills

[Sliver]

I see. So it was a major burn. Well, thank you UCB.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I see. So it was a major burn. Well, thank you UCB.

It wasn't made in jest

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I think arguing extremes (or watching extremes be argued) can be really fun, so I guess it depends on what you come to a forum for. If you come here for straight up fact-based, buttoned-down, civil discussions, then I can see why a troll would bother you. If you come here mainly for entertainment and enjoy a bit of craziness, trolls can add to your experience on a forum.

The problem is society loses when we become a society of extremes. For example look at the US Congress, Due to the nature of the their short terms and the primarys you have elected officials losing the ability to run again because they comprimised to get something done.

Internet trolls are more a symtom than a cause but a Troll generally is the one line sound bite used in an attack add. Non Sequitor arguments, and twisted facts and statistics if not out right lies repeated enough to become fact. For example Redskin was never a racial slur. Repeated enough people begin to believe it without question.

Trolls faciliate or are derived from a lack of substance and evidence and help to create a society where only extreme positions exist. This is extremely detrimental when the most powerful form of communication is a 140 charactor statement with no room for nuiance.

So yes trolls are harmful to society or at least at a minimum symptom of problems in society as a whole.

[Daradon]

I dunno if they are good. I think there are more beneficial ways to improve both the quality of an argument/debate or improve ones skills in defending a position.

I think in most cases they just drown out the real conversation. The internet is a bad enough place for misinformation.

[2ArmBands]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Trolling is indeed an art. It's even more hilarious when it gets people all riled up. I enjoy a good troll post, but enjoy the overblown reaction even more.

Agreed. I admit I enjoy internet trolling from time to time. I think it's hilarious to see people get all riled up over the smallest of things. I find it very amusing.

Sad I know... But you gotta do something on the internet other than watching a lot of 30 second movies.

[Barnet Flame]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Has anyone ever met/discussed/talked to an individual in real life that is as off the charts nuts as internet trolls?

Yeah, my wife.

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