Let’s Get It Straight On Trolling

[Res Ipsa]

Has he been seen lately?

Alas, he died in 1896. If he had appeared recently we might have noticed the aromatic odour

been seen
ben seen
ben zeen
benzene

[Res Ipsa]

But seriously, folks. The OP is odd on several counts. The first is that the OP is, itself, a troll. Oddly, it omits the essence of what constitutes a troll: the intent to provoke a reaction. But I suppose it doesn't have to mention this essence, because it is this essence. It exists purely to provoke responses.

We can tell because it contains none of the requirements necessary for addressing a trolling problem. First, it doesn't identify any person who is trolling -- it hints in a cutesy, provoking manner. Second, it doesn't identify any specific instance of trolling. Third, it doesn't make a request of the only people who are empowered to address trolling -- rather, it publicly pronounces that certain unidentified people should be banned because of unidentified posts.

But the thing that makes this OP clearly a troll is the poster's statement that he will just sit back and watch all the ants he's provoked scurry around in response to his provocative post. That's exactly the troll's MO.

I think we should take the OP for what it is: a parody of the author's many other trolling OPs. Bravo, MG.

[drumdude]

A certain poster on a certain message board thread recently made a very good point. At least from the perspective of an unnamed observer on a non-specific planet orbiting an anonymous star.

#DCP/MG-speak

[Gadianton]

The thread is off-topic but I'm not going to report it.

I have shown that there are certain posters on this board that fit the bill in regard to being trolls and participating regularly in troll like behavior.

The first issue, MG, is if you want people to take you seriously, you should say something like, "I've complained about or I've argued that..." not that you have definitively "shown" something to be the case. If you can find anywhere on this forum where I've presented myself as having settled the matter and "shown" or "demonstrated" something blatantly controversial to be the case -- then you've discovered an instance where I have engaged in trolling. Think about that.

Also, I don't consider the interactions you speak of to be clear examples of trolling. I don't consider all the trolling accusations against you to be trolling either. I think your persona is fundamentally sincere. I think you get mad and disrupt the board on purpose, whether that is trolling I'm not so sure. But there are times you do troll, such as in starting a thread declaring that you've proven other forum members to be trolling.

Finally, trolling isn't against to board rules to my knowledge so you have no case to ban people for trolling.

[malkie]

Alas, he died in 1896. If he had appeared recently we might have noticed the aromatic odour

been seen
ben seen
ben zeen
benzene

Sorry Res - that was clever beyond my ability to recognise. Kudos!

[Res Ipsa]

been seen
ben seen
ben zeen
benzene

Sorry Res - that was clever beyond my ability to recognise. Kudos!

Lowest form of humor and all that.

[malkie]

Interesting to watch this thread evolve. It's moving along nicely.

I'll sit back and eat my popcorn at this point.

I encourage folks to play the 'matching game' between those that will more than likely post now (the trigger has been set and pressed) with the 'definitional troll' behaviors/actions that I focused on in the earlier parts of the thread including the OP.

Let her rip! Unless, of course, the thread disappears...

Regards,
MG

Ahhh - the puppet master has announced his presence on this thread, as on others. (I hope the mocking tone was mild enough this time)

[MG 2.0]

But seriously, folks. The OP is odd on several counts. The first is that the OP is, itself, a troll. Oddly, it omits the essence of what constitutes a troll: the intent to provoke a reaction. But I suppose it doesn't have to mention this essence, because it is this essence. It exists purely to provoke responses.

We can tell because it contains none of the requirements necessary for addressing a trolling problem. First, it doesn't identify any person who is trolling -- it hints in a cutesy, provoking manner. Second, it doesn't identify any specific instance of trolling. Third, it doesn't make a request of the only people who are empowered to address trolling -- rather, it publicly pronounces that certain unidentified people should be banned because of unidentified posts.

But the thing that makes this OP clearly a troll is the poster's statement that he will just sit back and watch all the ants he's provoked scurry around in response to his provocative post. That's exactly the troll's MO.

I think we should take the OP for what it is: a parody of the author's many other trolling OPs. Bravo, MG.

OK. I probably should respond to this post. By the way, hi Res Ipsa. My intent has been to recognize and show a pattern of what is defined as trolling behavior. My intent is NOT to initiate a 'trolling exercise' to get everyone worked up. Although I expected a few to do so. I didn't want to name specific posters explicitly although it shouldn't be hard to tell who I'm referring to. That devolves into public shaming which I am hesitant to do knowing how it feels on the other end.

Yes, I did intend to provoke some kind of reaction. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the reaction was more or less what I expected. No acceptance of any responsibility from those that I would consider to be trolls. Any strongly worded OP on this forum is basically created to get a response. I wanted to create a dialogue as to whether or not there has been an ongoing pattern of trolling by certain posters by laying out the patterns/behaviors that would be expected. And as expected, little or no response there. I guess I was hoping to be surprised.

Disagreement with my direct approach to an ongoing problem that I've observed is fair. You're free to think that I have approached this subject in a clumsy, unhelpful, or annoying way. I would disagree with you, however, that this thread and its opening OP and my other supporting comments are "clearly" trolling. I realize you're trying to put the onus/load back on me. I can think of reasons why you might do that. You gave your interpretation of what I've attempted to do in this thread...I'm simply telling you that it doesn't match my intent.

At the end of the day I believe that what I have presented has validity and truth to it. I also realize that some of the very things I've mentioned trolls will do have been seen in operation in this thread. More so, however, in other threads. I think some people have intentionally stayed away from falling into any of the 'troll traps' I've described purposefully during this thread so far.

One can/might think of reasons why.

It may well be that this OP and my comments were a waste of time and nothing will come of it other than more of the same.

Unfortunate, in my opinion. Troll like technique and follow through actions and words are what keep this forum and 'echo chamber' with little room for alternate opinions and ideas. It's been that way for a long time. Trolling doesn't help. It's actually pretty hard to fight against.

I'll hand the trolls that much.

My two cents.

Regards,
MG

[MG 2.0]

The thread is off-topic but I'm not going to report it.

I have shown that there are certain posters on this board that fit the bill in regard to being trolls and participating regularly in troll like behavior.

The first issue, MG, is if you want people to take you seriously, you should say something like, "I've complained about or I've argued that..." not that you have definitively "shown" something to be the case. If you can find anywhere on this forum where I've presented myself as having settled the matter and "shown" or "demonstrated" something blatantly controversial to be the case -- then you've discovered an instance where I have engaged in trolling. Think about that.

Also, I don't consider the interactions you speak of to be clear examples of trolling. I don't consider all the trolling accusations against you to be trolling either. I think your persona is fundamentally sincere. I think you get mad and disrupt the board on purpose, whether that is trolling I'm not so sure. But there are times you do troll, such as in starting a thread declaring that you've proven other forum members to be trolling.

Finally, trolling isn't against to board rules to my knowledge so you have no case to ban people for trolling.

Gadianton, you’re right that trolling isn’t explicitly against the board rules, and I accept that I don’t have a case for banning anyone on that basis. Would I like to see them disciplined or chastised (as I frequently am, unfairly I might add), even if by other posters when they misbehave? Sure. What I was hoping for, perhaps a bit naïvely (I should know better, right?), was more self reflection and self awareness from everyone involved in regards to how tactics/methods affect the tone of the board. I named many of them specifically in detail.

I may have failed in that endeavor.

Regards,
MG

[Limnor]

So, in summary: If you respond seriously, it’s trolling. If you respond humorously, it’s trolling. If you don’t respond, that proves the point. Conclusion: might as well have fun with it.