Why does it feel gratifying to troll?

Engaging in a lively intellectual debate and actually winning seems to be totally different than mere trolling, though. You could have a healthy debate, lose, and actually learn something from the process, thus everybody wins. Contrast trolling, where it's a fairly lopsided scenario.

EDIT: I kant spel.

edited 25th Oct '10 12:59:49 PM by pvtnum11

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.

Agreed definition?

Personally, and I'm speaking openly here, I get a lot more gratification learning things about people that I'm not supposed to know. Regardless of whether or not I ever share those things.

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

Well, I guess that might be a useful skill for a troll, but doesn't seem to be a core skill.

What is?

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

Observation of people's behavior, and deriving from this observation ideas about what makes them tick.

Tch, I do that all the time and I'm not a troll in the slightest.

People interest me.

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

Yep - it's what you use that insight for that matters.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.

I never said I was particularly benevolent with it, either.

Just a collector mostly, people are far too free with their information around here.

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

Oh, I just said that those were key skills. They are necessary but not sufficient to be a troll.

Ah.

I have no real trollish (this is apparently a Chrome-recognized word, huh) interest, and if I did, I could just go to UM, place is full of idiots.

Anyway back on topic.

I'm curious to how any of the self-proclaimed trolls here respond to what I call clip statements, which are short phrases that can imply either vague agreement or dismissiveness depending on the context. (my personal favorite is "'k")

edited 25th Oct '10 1:33:17 PM by SpainSun

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

The most likely reaction is in fact amusement, since these statements fall squarely into the "I'm ignoring this troll" irony box.

"Irony box", have to use that one.

Right so that's seen as trying too hard, noted.

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

@Q5. From my perspective, either way, they stop being my problem.

Well, things that are commonly seen as obvious trolling behaviors tend not to be used by the best trolls.

Well obviously.

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

My opinion here may not mean much because I do not find it gratifying to troll. I mean, sure I can understand why messing or playing around with people can be funny, but being mean online has too much of a guilt factor for me personally and I see little to gain from it.

Yet, some people clearly do enjoy doing something like that just like some people like bullying. I feel like it is often a way to exert control over someone and thus feel dominant so I suppose that may be why some people like doing it.

I also have to say that stooping down to someone's level when that person is being unreasonable to you is a pretty bad way to react. I feel like it just legitimizes the unreasonableness to begin with and makes one seem more easily manipulated. I find it far more admirable for one to respond to annoying posts with calmness.

I think that if someone is trolling or being rude online, reporting it and(/or) ignoring it is generally the best thing to do. That may be stating the obvious though.

edited 25th Oct '10 4:56:52 PM by LouieW

"irhgT nm0w tehre might b ea lotof th1nmgs i dont udarstannd, ubt oim ujst goinjg to keepfollowing this pazth i belieove iN !!!!!1 d

Because when done well, the victims take the bait hook line and sinker and never even suspect.

Also, trolls crave attention. And when they get spotted, then like Christine O'Donnell, they don't care if people are laughing with them or at them.

For the Lulz

Obviously.

edited 25th Oct '10 11:29:36 PM by Starscream

MariaMoments: The wonder of 91% accuracy is that it [Thunder] still misses 50% of the time.

I wonder if a blatant attempt at trolling her would be considered off-topic...

Hmmm.

I spread my wings and I learn how to fly....

I think there is a difference between light-hearted trolling, and just plain sadism. Rarely do trolls actually fall into the latter. Personally I don't take much pleasure in trolling, but I think things like the Habbo-raid were quite funny. As for say - purposefully derailing topics on forums or trying specifically to annoy a particular fanbase, I can't see much point, it's just not that funny. I have done a bit of IRL twilight fan trolling, it's risky business though, those twitards can get vicious.

Me

I don't know if trolling is the best term for it, but I love to prank people and piss unreasonable people off. It feels like you're teaching someone a lesson about not taking things so seriously or not being so gullible, but whether or not they learn this lesson can be irrelevant to my enjoyment of the prank. If they get mad, it's as though their folly becomes more self-evident and I've "won" in the exchange. A good part of the fun is making others laugh, too.

Ruining everything forever.

We have needs for attention, acknowledgement, external validation of our existence, etc. We need self-efficacy— the perception that we can influence our environment; that we aren't helpless. Making people feel bad, making people feel good; either way, you've exerted an influence on them.

Pissing people off just happens to be a cheaper way to get evidence that you've exerted influence. Make somebody feel good and you may never know it, because they stay silent. People are ungrateful. They take the good for granted; rarely do they feel a need to speak up about it. Make them feel annoyance, discomfort, or pain, though; give them something to complain about, and suddenly you find them much more willing to acknowledge you.

I think laughter is a pretty common form of positive feedback.

Ruining everything forever.