I try to think of trolling ā an activity, a verb, a behavior, something I might be doing
If I donāt think twice about what I write.
Itās laying the bait out there, taking up the slack on the line, and just waiting to see who takes the bait.
Thatās a measure for oneās tendency to veer into drama.
Thatās not the dedicated kind of trolling ā what our host talks about in the original post, done by people who search for online forums and troll the hell out of them, singly or in organized groups.
Anyone who hasnāt read the alt.syntax.tactical FAQ from the Usenet days should look it up. The article is ancient in Internet years, but the methods still work.
The āneed for dramaā test is kind of a measure of our susceptibility to that stuff.
Sadly, also people with low self-esteem issues want to gain approval from their peers will often act this way. Lonely people. Sometimes also a man who is highly controlled by his wife will try to gain control of others in a discussion group like these. Brown nosing is another real popular one, an attempt to gain acceptance from his peers to feel as though he/she is part of a group.
I just love to inflict verbal trauma
And just kick back and bask in the drama
Iāll make a big scene
Then Iāll say something mean
Like ā Why donāt you go cry to your momma !ā
I mistreat all my internet friends
Only weaklings try to make amends
āCause when I make you sad
It wonāt make ME feel bad
I am paid well in dark dividends
I may seem like I really donāt care
As I post with a nonchalant air
Iām a sociopath
and I love to feel wrath
Every thread Iām in reeks of despair
So when you see me enter a thread
Does it instantly fill you with dread ?
You canāt stop me , you know
On and on I will go
Iāll be flaming you on your deathbed
Jack, you rhyme like no other. Glad to call you a BLF brother.
BTW, Iāve been thinking about selling my house here in NY and moving down to FL. Itās too damn expensive here for a retired guy! Iād be honored to be a customer of yours if I end up in your neighborhoodā¦
Trolling is a narcissistic activityā¦ There is apparently no benefit in trolling if you are not narcissistic, so non narcissistic people do not engage in the activity.
when people get mad, they calm down by shopping and buying from the advertisers, which results in the forum continuing to sell ads to sellers. So trolling is good for the forum in general.