Troll in the Dungeon!

[hymnia]

Long but worthwhile read: The Trolls Among Us

Here's a sample:

But even if we had the resources to aggressively prosecute trolls, would we want to? Are we ready for an Internet where law enforcement keeps watch over every vituperative blog and backbiting comments section, ready to spring at the first hint of violence? Probably not. All vigorous debates shade into trolling at the perimeter; it is next to impossible to excise the trolling without snuffing out the debate.

ETA: Of course, I don't endorse trolling, and I find the examples in the article pretty disgusting. But how and why trolling occurs in this frontier land called the Internet is a topic that fascinates me. The article also brought to mind The Msscribe Story. I half expected her to be one of the examples used in the article, but I suppose she didn't quite rate The New York Times.

Joie

Comments

[spin1978.livejournal.com]

I think HP fandom is a bit too old to warrant attention in the NY Times nowadays. ;)

I think the point about vigorous debate occasionally edging over into trolling is a fair point, and sometimes it can be highly helpful to dip your toe into troll-esque tactics to expose idiots and cranks for what they're trying to push.

Other than that, I'm still thinking what to say about the article. Certainly a good one, I'll give it that.

[ginnytoo.livejournal.com]

Fortuny reminds me of a young man I knew who maintained he was doing people a favor by teasing them, goading them, and picking at their most vulnerable traits. He said he was doing it to "toughen them up." Many abusers, like Fortuny, have been abused, and rather than continuing as a victim, they think they will become more powerful by imitating the abuser and dumping that abuse onto other people. It is hard to break that cycle, but perhaps Fortuny will eventually learn to find satisfaction in building people up instead of tearing them down.