One goal of a troll is to incite a 'riot', to stir up a hornets' next. Apparently they aren't much interested in learning anything or helping anyone--they just want to make trouble.
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"In the context of the Internet, a troll refers to a person who makes inflammatory or hostile comments, which by effect or design cause disruptions in discourse... The contemporary use of the term first appeared on Usenet groups in the early 1990s. It is widely thought to be a diminutive of the phrase "trolling for suckers," itself derived from the sports-fishing technique of trolling." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll . |
I tend to like trolls. It seems to me that whenever one appears on any of the forums I have frequented they seem to stir things up. Perhaps that is viewed as not good, and perhaps it isnt. However, it also seems that the majority of contributors to these forums tend to be in agreement, ultimately, and tend to stand together when all is said and done, and the evidence of this in place for all to see. Whenever a conflicting point of view arrives to shake things up it also tends to affirm that which is agreed upon and may be true. Even in those instances when there is no resolve, I have seen many wonderful examples of debate where those involved managed to be generous, patient and respectful.All this, and time and time again when trouble might have been expected outcome. So, trolling may be born out of selfish motives, or the desire to provoke people or cause confusion, but it rarely has the power to compromise the truth as it is understood, or to compromise those who value respectful discourse. The evidence of this is easy enough to find if anyone doubts it. |
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