"Experienced participants in online forums know that the most effective way to discourage a troll is usually to ignore him or her, because responding tends to encourage trolls to continue disruptive posts — hence the often-seen warning: "Please do not feed the trolls"."
I like the ending of the article. Very concise. On Aug 25, 11:21 am, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> wrote: > Neither, Facilitator: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troll_(Internet) > > On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 10:47 AM, facilitator <[email protected]> wrote: > > > What is a "Troll" anyway? Someone you disagree with or someone you > > "really" disagree with? > > > On Aug 25, 10:40 am, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > The interesting thing is, Molly, that it isn't all bad (as > > > Frank'n'furter remarked to Jannette in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, > > > after she'd been unfaithful to Brad with him :-)) > > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVv9GjTXJ2A&feature=related > > > > The passing of a troll through the waters of ME leaves all sorts of > > > new counter-currents and unexpected eddies and in such circumstances > > > creative and positive things can (and do) happen. I've used the > > > analogy (even if scientific accuracy forces me to sadly admit that it > > > has no basis in fact) of the grain of sand in the oyster. Despite the > > > increased stress and frustration, shaking us up a bit can also be > > > good. > > > > Francis > > > > On 25 Aug., 15:42, Molly Brogan <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > An interesting study in humanity, here in the Internet forums, isn't > > > > it Jim? Not only do we learn about ourselves, some of the brilliant > > > > ideas of our world, but also the aspects of human nature that may have > > > > been hidden before. > > > > > I once had an internship as part of a class with a suicide hotline. > > > > In the five day training, we were told that most of the callers do not > > > > have suicide intentions, but have other mental health problems that > > > > lead them to continuously call the hotline. The program developed a > > > > policy where these callers were allowed to call once in a 4 hour > > > > period (a working shift) and there were those callers that always > > > > exceeded the guidelines, and made a game of intrigue out of trying. > > > > The philosophy of the program in accepting these calls was that it is > > > > a service to the community, to give these folks an outlet to talk to > > > > someone, and the families some relief in the overwhelming duty of > > > > caring for them, some break or downtime in their attention to them. > > > > > My gut feeling is that these are the Internet trolls that play with > > > > the forums. They run the spectrum of intelligence, indeed, some are > > > > highly intelligent, but have a borderline social functionality for > > > > other reasons. The best we can do, and I think this group does a > > > > pretty good job of it, is express compassion and let the mods provide > > > > enough filter so that they are not disruptive to the group. It is not > > > > easy to see them coming sometimes, the eventually the signs surface, > > > > and then we can, as compassionately as possible, establish the > > > > boundaries. These folks look for flame wars to enter, pouncing on > > > > signs of controversy and disrespect. The flame goes up when we react > > > > to their bait. Let's not give it to them. > > > > > On Aug 25, 9:28 am, retiredjim34 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Fran - oh. It was? damn. Jim > > > > > > On Aug 24, 4:41 am, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > I just got a private mail from e_space, congratulating me on having > > > > > > taken a more aggressive atitutude towards the mods. > > > > > > > As I explained to him in a private mail, I now reiterate in the > > public > > > > > > forum lest, improbably, some readers may not have understood ... > > > > > > > People, it was satire, ok? > > > > > > > Francis > > > > > > > On 24 Aug., 08:59, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > Selected takes from Surveillance System 3BE-45 / [various dates] > > / > > > > > > > rating: TS (Board members only) > > > > > > > > Mod#1: I’m worried about BB. He’s getting too close. > > > > > > > > Mod#2: You mean …? > > > > > > > > Mod#1: Yes, he may just be getting to a level where he starts to > > > > > > > conceive suspicions about our true intent and purpose. > > > > > > > > Mod#2: The achievement of total and complete word domination? > > > > > > > > Mod#1: Precisely. This COULD become a new keith/Kevin attack. > > > > > > > > Mod#2: You mean, the longer you leave it, the worse it gets? If > > that’s > > > > > > > the case, then we’d better do something soon – > > > > > > > > [Com unit blinks. A crackle of static.] > > > > > > > > FA#7: Field agent seven here. Mod#1, are you there? > > > > > > > > Mod#1: Go ahead, FA#7, communications secured … > > > > > > > > [short break – a new camera angle] > > > > > > > > FA#7: … and we’re just not succeeding in our attacks on him in > > the > > > > > > > various threads. We can’t seem to faze the guy … > > > > > > > > Mod#2: How do you know it’s a guy? > > > > > > > > FA#7: Oh … oh, I see. We need more concrete information in order > > to … > > > > > > > > Mod#1: … in order to deal with this situation – in a more > > permanent > > > > > > > manner … > > > > > > > > Mod#2: Quite! Nothing must be allowed to disturb our glorious > > course > > > > > > > of world domination. The Dark Side WILL conquer! > > > > > > > > On 23 Aug., 23:11, BB47 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > There are many ways to look at this group. This is merely my > > dark > > > > > > > > version. I will give you the upbeat positive version when I am > > in > > > > > > > > that mood, should I survive. > > > > > > > > > There is a sickness lurking in this group. A stench fills > > the > > > > > > > > air. I might be alone in smelling it. A cancer has a > > foothold. A > > > > > > > > callous detachment, a resignation, the players separated into > > packs > > > > > > > > and lone individuals. The once human eyes roll back white, and > > when > > > > > > > > the attack is over, they roll forward to reveal their black , > > cold , > > > > > > > > unaffected stares. It is a prison yard, a shark tank. If only > > being > > > > > > > > wrong was not the ultimate horror of human beings. What a > > different > > > > > > > > world we would live in. > > > > > > > > > There is less and less risks taken in here, and who could > > blame > > > > > > > > them? There are those safe in the shadows, who only come out to > > feed > > > > > > > > when it is safe. Safety itself is now defined as back into > > self, > > > > > > > > where “I know and they don’t” rules supreme. I see this as a > > sad > > > > > > > > statement of resignation and worship of a false idol. An > > acceptance > > > > > > > > that this is the way of the world. Any attempts at engagement > > are too > > > > > > > > easily perceived as an assault or an attack, then what > > follows is > > > > > > > > the silent retreat back to the perception of safety and > > > > > > > > righteousness. Oh, the comfort of knowing and they don’t. > > > > > > > > > Another shank stabbing in the prison yard? “That is what > > > > > > > > happens” “he had it coming” “he should have known better” > > “You > > > > > > > > just don’t do that” “He was a fool to try that” “you don’t > > mess with > > > > > > > > somebody tougher than you” “He picked the wrong person to > > fight > > > > > > > > with” “doesn’t he know that guy’s reputation? What an > > idiot” > > > > > > > > “You don’t mess with those above you in the pecking order, how > > could > > > > > > > > he not know that?” > > > > > > > > “He deserved it” “hey, there is going to be a fight, come on > > let’s > > > > > > > > watch” “I pay not attention to him, he is a child” “ I am > > going to > > > > > > > > stick it to him someday” > > > > > > > > > People resort to using quotes of famous people. Not that > > this is > > > > > > > > bad in and of itself, for it is valuable information, but when > > looked > > > > > > > > at from the view of the prison yard, this scores big points, > > it is > > > > > > > > relatively safe, and it is certainly safer than using your own > > words > > > > > > > > which are much more vulnerable to attack. It is like flashing > > a knife > > > > > > > > to another inmate, “I have this weapon and more where that > > came from > > > > > > > > pal....at my fingertips, don’t mess with me. I have > > protection. I > > > > > > > > have back-up. I have the CREDIBILITY, I can’t be touched, > > don’t > > > > > > > > even try. You are no match for me.” > > > > > > > > > As if being no match for another means a student can’t argue > > with > > > > > > > > the teacher. The climate of fear, the climate of the pecking > > order, > > > > > > > > the climate of a prison yard.- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
