What is trolling?

[Morgan Mars]

You can find out all you need about trooling at 20B.com

 

[Cutter9792]

Trolling is simply trying to elicit a reaction from someone else by being WRONG.

For instance, in this thread I could have given you the advice to go to a shock website.

 

[bdcjacko]

I believe everyone on here is correct except it involves malice. I see a difference between just trickery and laugh and going out of your way to be a dickhole a pissing people off.

I disagree. Trolling CAN involve malice, but it doesn't have to at all.

Well then I motion that we have separate terms for trolling with malice and without malice.

 

[DanDeFool]

You know what I thought of when I saw this thread?

WHAT IS TROLL!
Baby don't troll me...
Don't troll me...
No more..

<youtube=ECIgucKibps>

 

[ThatJagoGuy]

I see trolling as trying to piss someone off "for the lulz"...

A good show of trolling: http://i.imgur.com/1F1Ya.jpg

So if the victim in that scenario is actually lying (seems suspicious that he's posting from a separate computer to the one he bricked), is he trolling the others?

This is probably the best definition to go with. And as to your original post, that was definitely trolling. While a lot of trolling is fairly subtle, it can be blatant too, as long as it's just designed to provoke a response.

So is flamebaiting a form of trolling?

I have a horrible feeling that the problem of definition is why there aren't any decent research papers about this subject...!

 

[Gottesstrafe]

Do your own damn research if it's for something important. Here, I'll get you started:

http://ohinternet.com/Troll

http://encyclopediadramatica.ch/Troll

 

[YesIPlayTheBagpipes]

rookie mistake

 

[hecticpicnic]

In my opinion trolling can be subtle and unsubtle comment as long as its dishonest and is hoping for a negative repose so it can start and argument.Flame is different but you can do both at one flaming is trying to upset some body e.g. if i went on to a Justin Bieber video and said something like "studies show if you were sexually abused by a priest as a child your are 60% more likely to enjoy Justin Bieber" i would be trolling if i went on to the same page in a parallel universe and said "This sucks!!" and didn't intend on being conversational i wouldn't be trolling just flaming.Also just wanting to be conversational/arguemental and flaming can be about what you believe.

 

[Moora]

The idea of trolling is to provoke responses from others. You'd normally just call it provocation or taunting, but the internet and it's anonymity allows for much more elaborate acts of trolling. I'm sure it's mostly because you're safe from someone reaching out and punching you in the face.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

Trolling is what many people on a certain gaming website scream when someone says something with the slightest bit of emotion.

Or, it's every comment on every youtube video ever.

Take your pick.

 

[zehydra]

I believe everyone on here is correct except it involves malice. I see a difference between just trickery and laugh and going out of your way to be a dickhole a pissing people off.

I disagree. Trolling CAN involve malice, but it doesn't have to at all.

Well then I motion that we have separate terms for trolling with malice and without malice.

I concur. henceforth Trolling involving malice shall be known as "Vamfling", or to "vamfle" somebody.

The difficult part will be to get people to agree to use it.

 

[Chase Yojimbo]

Go to Chat Roulette and find out for yourself OP

 

[ThreeWords]

Apparently around here, trolling is defined as: "having a contrary opinion to someone else"

What? How can you say that? I've never heard read such a hateful, small minded, and downright offensive bout of trolling in my whole life

Edit: sorry, only the second most hateful thing I've ever seen. The first was you telling some righteous upstanding member of the online community, who wasn't hurting anyone and just minding how own business, to go away and grow up.

I mean, hating on other countries is a staple of good, healthy internet life, and one that Obama will take away if he passes his health bill. This wouldn't happen if we hadn't let the Jews in...

 

[Di'kut]

Trolling is when someone disagree with me. This I was taught by my fellow Escapists a long time ago.

 

[Jakub324]

Being a d*ck on the internet just because you can, while hoping someone responds so you can abuse them.

 

[funguy2121]

I think it's simpler than people make it out to be, though this is understandable given that trolls are often themselves the first to use the word to refer to others.

I think "troll" refers more to intent than anything else. I wouldn't call a forum post literature, but it is definitely a form of "writing," and with writing you can usually deduce the writer's intent pretty quickly. The intent of a troll is to piss someone off or to stir up a thread, plain and simple. Their reasons may vary; some are simply being juvenile (I have myself been guilty of entering a thread about an anime for children and asking "Is this Yu-Gi-Oh!?"), while others want to prove to themselves their own intellectual might by "defeating" (in their own mind) those with whom they disagree. You can find fantastic examples of this by searching for any female-themed threads on the Escapist.

 

[dfcrackhead]

I see trolling as trying to piss someone off "for the lulz"...

A good show of trolling: http://i.imgur.com/1F1Ya.jpg

So if the victim in that scenario is actually lying (seems suspicious that he's posting from a separate computer to the one he bricked), is he trolling the others?

This is probably the best definition to go with. And as to your original post, that was definitely trolling. While a lot of trolling is fairly subtle, it can be blatant too, as long as it's just designed to provoke a response.

So is flamebaiting a form of trolling?

I have a horrible feeling that the problem of definition is why there aren't any decent research papers about this subject...!

If the guy who bricked the hard drive was just lying to everyone, then yes, he was trolling, he would actually be the winner in that scenario because he played and baited all those people for that long of a time.... Not that trolling has winners, but you get the point. Also, flamebaiting is trolling

 

[Choppaduel]

Spoiler: trolling is many things

I know the embedding doesnt work, thats light trolling. anyways heres an embed that works

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

The art of making comments solely to evoke an emotional backlash, like your mum.

 

[lacktheknack]

It's attempting to garner response via negative stimuli.

In English: It's saying ridiculous/hurtful things for replies.