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Who is a troll?

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/magazine/03trolls-t.html?pagewanted=all

In the late 1980s, Internet users adopted the word “troll” to denote someone who intentionally disrupts online communities. Early trolling was relatively innocuous, taking place inside of small, single-topic Usenet groups. The trolls employed what the M.I.T. professor Judith Donath calls a “pseudo-naïve” tactic, asking stupid questions and seeing who would rise to the bait. The game was to find out who would see through this stereotypical newbie behavior, and who would fall for it. As one guide to trolldom puts it, “If you don’t fall for the joke, you get to be in on it.”

Today the Internet is much more than esoteric discussion forums. It is a mass medium for defining who we are to ourselves and to others. Teenagers groom their MySpace profiles as intensely as their hair; escapists clock 50-hour weeks in virtual worlds, accumulating gold for their online avatars. Anyone seeking work or love can expect to be Googled. As our emotional investment in the Internet has grown, the stakes for trolling — for provoking strangers online — have risen. Trolling has evolved from ironic solo skit to vicious group hunt.
 

captainpolution

Turbo Monkey
Nov 18, 2004
1,017
0
So I decided that I love to drink 3% milk. 1% was ok and 2% just a little better. I came up with the idea to combine the two to obtain 3%, and boy is it tasty!
 

moff_quigley

Why don't you have a seat over there?
Jan 27, 2005
4,402
2
Poseurville
Interesting article. Never knew where the "an hero" meme came from. Odd that those guys were willing to show their faces and real names.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,860
24,454
media blackout
Now this is the story all about how
My sled got flipped, turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there
I'll tell you how I took a bad turn and caught mad air

In Soviet Georgia born and raised
On the ice luge where I spent most of my days
Chilling out, luging, relaxing all cool
Taking Russian hostages inside a school
When a couple of Reds, they were up to no good
Drove Russian tanks into my neighborhood
One separatist movement and my mom got scared
And said "You're going to Vancouver to catch mad air"

I waited for my start and when it came near
the course said "fast" and had a concrete barrier
If anything I could say that this track was rare
But I though nah, forget it, Nodar, catch air!

I slid up to turn number seven or eight
And I yelled to my trainer "Comrade, it's hard to steer"
Flew into a wall and I was finally there
Killed my self while trying to catch mad air.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Well, one thing I like about Ridemonkey is the responsible members and good moderation. There isn't the ridiculous yelling matches that go on with other forums.

My personal stake is that I consider my "trolling" just virtual practice. I am rather argue in person.

However, that article and the book series "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" does worry me.

If you become a well known figure, you can certainly create enemies who you will never meet but can really screw with your life.