What is a troll really?

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by Dis


It depends on their motivations. Which makes it difficult to discern what is and isn't a troll.

If there intentions are to honestly debate the merits of Hitler, or even to try to sway our opinions of him, then it is not a troll.

But if their motivations are to go on a normal board (assuming they know normal people are vehemently opposed to Hitler), and start spouting off how great Hitler was in an effort to get a reaction, it is at a troll.

I entirely agree. The thing is I can't find one definition of troll that takes that into account.

Is our concept of trolling here on 'Poly out of sync with what the majority of the rest of the population on the internet holds?

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by Lord Avalon

IMO "deliberately provocative" excludes sincere posts. Other people may call a sincere poster a troll, but he's not really, because the intent to provoke wasn't there. He's just ignorant, and possibly stupid.

Hrmm good point. I was too quick to lump that definition with the others.

"deliberately" does indeed suggest a need for insincerity since the content is presumably designed to provoke rather than to make a case.

[ZEE]

stupid people do not equate to being trolls, i agree. However, is is my preconcieved notion that a person with less-than-average intelligence that tries to join a higher-level debate... simply has no choce BUT to troll in order to feel noticed...

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by AAHZ
stupid people do not equate to being trolls, i agree. However, is is my preconcieved notion that a person with less-than-average intelligence that tries to join a higher-level debate... simply has no choce BUT to troll in order to feel noticed...

They could presumably be a troll for being intent on being noticed rather than due to their stupidity.

stupid non-trolls finding themselves in a similar situation would probably lurk or ask stupid questions and not challenge the answers until they were sure they understood them. Of course the unfortunate nature of stupidity is that they may be the last person to recognize that they do not understand those answers.

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by Hercules
and/or to continue the Troll by arguing provocatively against each poster who raises reasonable points.

I've always thought that the key to recognizing a troll is to notice when a poster fails to show any sign of understanding one or more obvious holes in their argument that are repeatedly pointed out to them even when elsewhere they have demonstrated the intelligence to understand those objections and are replying to the objections in a way that leaves no doubt that they have completely read the objections.

At that point there is no point in further debating with the presumed troll.

I'm not sure of a good way to neatly fold that into a definition of trolling however. I suppose it doesn't really belong in the definition and the definition can simply point out the deliberate nature of the provocations of a troll and leave the detection of intent as an exercise for reader.

[ZEE]

Originally posted by Geronimo
They could presumably be a troll for being intent on being noticed rather than due to their stupidity.

agreed, as lots of presumably SMART posters do this for the hell of it

stupid non-trolls finding themselves in a similar situation would probably lurk or ask stupid questions and not challenge the answers until they were sure they understood them. Of course the unfortunate nature of stupidity is that they may be the last person to recognize that they do not understand those answers.

which usually ends up in that particular poster getting laughed and humiliated off the thread. especially here at 'Poly...

BTW we should not confuse "trolling" with "spamming" as they have very different definitions

[Dinner]

"What's a troll?"

Please see Alexander's Horse.

[SlowwHand]

As he said. Read posts by the Horse and/or Shiva.

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
As he said. Read posts by the Horse and/or Shiva.

How can you not read posts by LS while browsing poly OT?

He seems more of a spammer/sincere poster than a troll to me most of the time IMHO.

Most of his posts don't seem crafted to elicit strong responses.

What about those sorts of posts makes you think of trolling?

[SlowwHand]

His love of bananas for one thing. Should we compile a list?

Oerdin? Can you add to the conversation?

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
His love of bananas for one thing. Should we compile a list?

Oerdin? Can you add to the conversation?

So you think someone posting lots of amusing spam is a troll?

[SlowwHand]

Let's talk about Pekka, just for a second.

I have a brother like Pekka. You ask what time it is, and they both will tell you how to make a watch.

[SlowwHand]

What about his unmitigated hatred of Greeks?

[Dis]

Originally posted by Geronimo


So you think someone posting lots of amusing spam is a troll?

He's an interesting case. A truelly unique individual.

His bring back Herreson things seem like a troll (in that I'm not sure of is sincerity), but it has a good mix of spam mixed in. But those posts are not intended to get a negative response (though the mods might give a negative response ). I'd say it's a mix of 90% spam, 10% troll.

[Noobiecakes]

troll (trōl)

n.

A supernatural creature of Scandinavian folklore, variously portrayed as a friendly or mischievous dwarf or as a giant, that lives in caves, in the hills, or under bridges.

[Old Norse.]