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[Vierdrake]

Just wondering:  What exactly IS trolling?  I saw something about it on the front page and thought it'd be a good idea to ask someone.

[atomicdragon]

Technically trolling is making posts with the purpose of getting other people mad or upset, making them post bad things themselves.  This is related to the name, where trolling is a term used for a type of fishing where you drag bait behind a boat.  It is said they are “trolling for newbies” meaning they are putting out bait for people that don’t know to ignore or avoid certain upsetting topics (originally didn’t have much to do with a troll, as in the mythological creature, but various references are based on that now).

Although often trolls are quite offensive on their own, some will hide things.  For example, posting a controversial topic in a way that will rile people up or upset them greatly.  A really mild example off the top of my head is “Hey, I think dragons are evil, so what evil things have you all done?”

Over time, the use of the word troll and trolling have become much broader.  It went from meaning someone who would make a post just trying to get others to look stupid amd possibly make themselves look better by pointing out how other are wrong (i.e. some post likely to make people that didn’t know better to make wrong replies) to meaning people trying to get a rise in people.  And often now it is used to refer to anyone being offensive repeatedly or simply just someone purposely trying to cause problems.

[Vierdrake]

So, kind of like the whole "Here's to starting over" thing, right?

[atomicdragon]

If you mean the thread you started a while ago, did you make the thread with the intent to piss people off or trying to purposely cause problems?  If so it would be trolling, if not then it is not trolling.

[Vierdrake]

Um... no ( no, because I didn't really know what I was doing and I didn't realize that it would get so much negative attention).  That's one reason why I had Selroth delete it.

[Enverex]

Trolling is like me coming into this thread and going:
"OMG you noob, you're so stupid, omgwtfbbq".
Or on the more discreet side would be to post things laced with malice or comments that people could deliberately take offence to.

[Vierdrake]

Good example, Enver.

[Selroth]

Trolling can also be someone coming in and saying "black dragons are better than white dragons" and supporting it in efforts to get a fight between members then leaving.

[Vierdrake]

So... pretty much posting just to post, right?

[atomicdragon]

Technically trolling is making posts with the purpose of getting other people mad or upset, making them post bad things themselves.

 ....

 And often now it is used to refer to anyone being offensive repeatedly or simply just someone purposely trying to cause problems.

[Kasethen]

As someone who has been labeled a troll multiple times, and who has become quite good at 'disturbing' the status quo in a lot of different online forums, I will tell you that trolling, as atomic,selroth, and enverex hit on, is essentially putting forth ideas and opinions simply for the sake of upsetting people.  It's often a 'tongue in cheek' approach to discussion, using a lot of sarcasm, as the things you say you probably don't *really* mean.  Best to avoid trolling, I think, as really, it's immature and makes you a nuisance to the community you're trolling in.  That, and if you troll, no one will ever love you and you'll die sad and alone wondering why you *had* to troll.

[atomicdragon]

It's often a 'tongue in cheek' approach to discussion, using a lot of sarcasm, as the things you say you probably don't *really* mean.

That doesn't make you a troll, that just makes you indistinguishable from a troll.  If people can't tell it is sarcasm or that you didn't really mean it, e.g. you use the same thing too much or do so on certain topics, then people will think you are trolling.  In those cases, someone calling you a troll is the same as saying, "You're doing that on purpose to cause problems."  There are always people quick to jump the gun, but others will figure the person is a troll if it is repeated too much, even after warning, since they figure most people would have learned if they were not doing it on purpose.

It is near impossible to be a troll by accident, although at times it can be real easy to do the same things as a troll would by accident.  That doesn't mean that not being a troll means there isn't a problem too.

[Vierdrake]

Alright, thanks guys.

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