Is it just me or do all troll groups eventually implode?

A brief disclaimer: I haven't posted in a forum since 2004, and under good old web 2.0 technology at that. I did read the rules and I'm pretty sure this discussion would classify as Real Life and On Topic but if I still posted it under the wrong section or did something else wrong, feel free to yell at me until I get it right.

Anyways, as the title says, I can't help but wonder if troll groups are doomed to always burn out within a year or two, to fade away from the collective thought of the internet save for a few obsessive freaks (like me).

Let me first define my terms. By "group", I don't mean a community like 4chan or the like. Those are comprised of many different people, often operating anonymously or, at the very least, not using their real names. It doesn't matter if suddenly twenty people have themselves a good old Heel-Face Turn and vow to never troll or hurt another person's feelings again; the rest of the forum will simply take their place or perhaps a new generation of misguided youths will join in the fray. I have no doubt that the membership of 4chan today is different from the 4chan of five years ago or the 4chan that will exist five years from now.

Nor do I mean a single person posting on their private website or their own You Tube, Facebook, or other social media site of choice. It's amazing what one person can do with a little stubbornness, hatred, and cynicism, yes, but by operating solely by themselves, they don't risk the infighting and dissolution that comes with operating as a group.

No, what I mean by a group is a close-knit gathering of two to ten individuals operating as one with the sole purpose of making others feel bad about themselves. Groups that created websites like Metokur (might be a misspelling; can't even find their website to validate the correct spelling) producing videos mocking others in works like Fanskit Fiesta and Films for Fustralians (they also had some website only content that did the same in text, railing against Deviantart and other sites) and Your Webcomic Is Bad and You Should Feel Bad. Groups that created the original Encyclopedia Dramatica and The Internet Nobody Database.

I didn't name those places by random. Each one of them share one thing in common: they all don't officially exist anymore. I can't verify the main website, but Films for Fustralians and Fanskit Fiesta no longer exist, having long since been banned for voilating You Tube (namely, talking over a video of a live person; apparently this is against website rules if said video belongs to another channel. Movies and Let's Play videos, however, appear to be fair game for now). Your Webcomic is Bad and You Should Feel Bad was taken down by the original founder of said group in what I would call a dramatic hissy fit when, as I understand it, he was getting tired of all the fanboys of the comics he was (rightly, in my opinion) making fun of kept storming his blog en masse (despite the fact that was kinda his original purpose and, at first, he seemed to thrive on that kind of negative attention). The original Encyclopedia Dramatica became the Lighter and Softer (and somewhat more factual) Oh Internet! while a splinter group made their own editable mirror site. Plenty has been said about The Internet Nobody Database around the web (including a very thoughtful and polite thread made by one of the original contributors on this very forum!) but the actual site itself seemed to disappear. (Ironically, while I dislike the tone of the group, I actually *do* agree with its actual message. Many of the groups and people they made fun of actually do kind of suck, or at the very least, were far past their prime. If I were to ever make a web series of some kind, their attitude of "don't sell crappy, injoke merchandise" and "story lines in review shows are stupid" will highly influence my work).

So there you go. It seems, inevitably, any group dedicated to actively trolling the internet at large will eventually self-destruct for one reason or another. The only group I can think of that still exists would be retsupurae but I'm not sure I would actually call them a "troll group" since 1: the two main contributors (slowbeef and Diabetus) have mellowed out a bit with age, 2: there is rarely any real malice in their jabs, especially in recent years and 3: unlike the other groups I've mentioned, these guys are actually funny.

Anyone noticed a similar pattern around the web? Know any other tightly-knit troll groups that self-destructed for one reason or another? Any theories on why this is?

(For whatever my opinion is worth, I think it's because a site or forum that runs purely on cynicism and vitriol creates a toxic environment, and even the most self-hating troll will eventually get tired of that. Then again, I'm no psychologist, so I could be way off base.)

I think most groups period eventually implode - it's like starting a band. Bryan Adams explains it well :)

But being endlessly negative and not creating anything to be proud of wears away at the community spirit even faster. Folks just get tied of moaning and move on. The jokes and memes get old. New girlfriends dissaprove. The ones that are left just seem pretty... sad. And if the troll group centers around Hatedom of a single creator, their relevance only lasts as long as that of their target.

edited 2nd Feb '14 3:06:43 AM by betaalpha

The purpose of trolling is comedy. Trolls do it because they find it funny, and repeating the same joke over and over tends to result in it eventually wearing thin.

Not affirming or refuting your point, but there are some aspects of Anonymous (the hacktivist group) that were kinda troll-like. I'm not sure if they're still active, but... Yeah.

Although if I recall right, LulzSec didn't die out because of the usual internal stuff — their leader sold himself to the FBI, who then cracked down on the rest.

We'll probably never have a true answer as to whether the original Anonymous members are still around and causing a ruckus with anyone they disapprove of. But I think a lot of them started disappearing after they began to realize how supporting a real-world cause like the civil wars Libya or Syria isn't as simple and clean-cut as it seems. Or more cynically, they got bored of the whole issue and just moved on.

Probably for the better though. Some of those guys were rather stuck up in a very worrisome way: I even recall one of them blasting another person for trying to doubt and question the ethics and "just nature" of taking the side of the Syrian rebels vs. the government.

Does Uncyclopedia count as a troll group, or just some good natured (if harsh) ribbing?

I'd say good natured sometimes harsh ribbing

(Oh sure, the moment I stop following this post is when people actually respond. )

In reply to Aw Sam Weston , 4chan is absolutely a trolling community. It's just that, like I said, they're a community, and therefore, they can endlessly replenish itself with new people due to the absolute anonymity of the site. Groups, on the other hand, operate with, at the very least, a handle you can put a face or personality with, and that's a lot more, well, personal and intimate than a random post by someone you truly don't know.

In reply to Cards of War (now that's an awesome handle if I ever seen one), I would agree that Uncyclopedia is just good-natured ribbing. Encyclopedia Dramatica, by its very name, was created to spread and engineer internet drama and intentionally hurt people's feelings (at least when it wasn't actually being completely factual on select topics, like Chris-chan and other lolcows). Uncyclopedia, in contrast, is meant to be funny for the sake of being funny. Their Franz Kefka article is pretty hilarious.

Anyways, thanks for responding back, guys, even if it was just to reaffirm what I thought was always true. Betaalpha brought up a good point about all groups ending eventually, but I like to think that at least some groups can do it on good terms.

edited 6th Feb '14 6:10:43 AM by Bailoroc

I said nothing about 4chan. I was talking about Anonymous and LulzSec.

I think Conservapedia is a troll group. No implosion because they're a little more stealthy.

I think that 'Troll Groups' will eventually all die out, but the dickheads trying to annoy people on whatever site they come by will never really go away. I think that all the current troll groups will die, because each time they say something, that establishes a new standard for how controversial things they say need to be in order to stay edgy. It doesn't take long for the level of things they say rising up to a level where authorities step in or they can't find a webhosting company or anything like that.

edited 7th Feb '14 12:27:40 AM by CardsOfWar