This is true, Chris, and I look forward to the learning with great gusto. I have had some good experience with the anti-social personality types of trolls, and how they express themselves in venues other than the internet. It is not something we run across unless we work in social services and this contributes, I think, to the varied opinion on what is or isn't troll behavior. I've also had some experience in group dynamic and have found it fascinating. The effect of these folks on group dynamic is something to consider, and I'm glad we can discuss it as a group. To some extent, disruptive participants will come and go and this is, I think, natural to the Internet group. What the signs are of someone coming into the group with the intent to start fires, someone with the potentiality of escalation to the point of harassment... would be good for all to understand.
On Aug 25, 12:28 pm, Chris Jenkins <[email protected]> wrote: > Oh, Molly, you have much to learn in the ways of the internet. :^D > > Trolling is such a popular online past time it has it's own entire wiki: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encyclopedia_Dramatica > > On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 12:19 PM, Molly Brogan <[email protected]>wrote: > > > > > given the myriad opportunities to spend time on this earth available > > to us, if trolling is chosen, Houston, we have a problem. > > > On Aug 25, 12:13 pm, "[email protected]" > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Of course there also exists the possibilty that some trolls are not > > > mentaly ill and just get their jollys from stiring things up. > > > > On 25 Aug, 17:00, Molly Brogan <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I am not sure you can separate the two in the engagement. If we are > > > > getting something out of engaging the trolls, we are getting something > > > > out of engaging people who do not understand their own behavior, who > > > > are only driven by whatever illness causes the obsession with > > > > disruption and negative attention seeking. Something to consider. > > > > > I am not disagreeing with your assessment that everything that comes > > > > into the group dynamic can change the group and give the participants > > > > insights. But I do think that the entrance of a troll presents > > > > barriers to cohesive group dynamics that can kill a group if gone > > > > unchecked, hence the need for moderation. > > > > > One of my favorite all time novels is Goethe's "Elective Affinities." > >http://books.google.com/books?id=08h1XftFOlYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=... > > > > > It really speaks to the group dynamic and how we are all changed by > > > > each member of the group. > > > > > On Aug 25, 11:22 am, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > I wasn't thinking so much of the trolls themselves, Molly, as the > > rest > > > > > of us here. Even in the attenuated virtual world of ME, there are > > > > > group processes going on, with encounters and developing > > > > > relationships, as well as developing insights. A more complex group > > > > > environment, as occours when obstacles crop up or, probably better, > > > > > tension points coalesce, can have positive results. Like > > > > > synchronicity, serendipity is also a state-option never far away. > > > > > > We can learn from everything ... > > > > > > Francis > > > > > > On 25 Aug., 16:53, Molly Brogan <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > Good in what way? If these people are acting out as part of their > > > > > > psychodrama, attention seeking and purposefully disruptive to > > satisfy > > > > > > an obsession for negative attention, is it "good" to engage them in > > > > > > ways that demean them? I find it cruel. They often set themselves > > up > > > > > > in right or wrong scenarios so that they can fell persecuted and > > > > > > injured. Is it good to give that to them? Or were you thinking > > that > > > > > > it is good for you to engage now and then in controversy? The > > dance > > > > > > of opposition can be invigorating, allowing us to feel the full > > gambit > > > > > > of emotion. I think we can do this with folks that have a better > > > > > > understanding what is occurring for both parties in the exchange, > > and > > > > > > leave the trolls to find a place more conducive to finding some > > real > > > > > > good or help for their condition. > > > > > > > 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 > > ... > > read more » --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
