Trolls: Lack of Self-Esteem or Bad Breeding?

it’s the same mentality that drives people to graffiti bathroom stalls

I beg your pardon. My drivel is extremely literate and, occasionally, pertinent.

and isn’t this question just a wee bit trolly?

I don’t think it’s either
and it’s probably various reasons

i think it’s all about your environment. i mean, if you were raised living under a bridge, or in a cave, or whatever, your perspective is going to be “hey, i can’t get out of this place. i might as well just go and be a troll.” it’s a vicious circle.

insecurity + boredom

oh….internet troll. woops

i think it’s because they’re probably not very popular, and sometimes quite bitter and hateful, and the only way to get anyone’s attention is to be a asshole.

sometimes, though, i do believe it’s ignorance.

@eponymoushipster I hear you, bro. From me to you you.

False dichotomy.

Who cares?

Fuck ‘em.

I guess they were bullied at school and never had the chance to overcome the trauma lol

@asmonet – For serious.

It’s an outlet for some sort of aggression.

@mcbealer – on point

@asmonet – only if they’re pretty

@asmonet As always concise and to the point. Good for you.

@Cardinal: :D

@TaoSan: Aren’t trolls by definition… sorta horrendous in the face?

@asmonet

You can always cover the face with a pillow if need be…

How rude…

It’s a call for attention and seeking an outlet for social (maybe also sexual?) frustration by inciting passionate responses from others by either belittling, insulting or questioning them in an untoward and uncalled for way.

Also they are huge ass-hats that need to STFU and adapt to their surroundings.

Here’s the mentality. It’s actually quite easy to understand once you grok it.

People are too serious. They take themselves too seriously, they take the internet and their comments too seriously, they take their minute details of their lives too seriously. Being a troll allows you to counter this head on and to irritate the person or question the person for questioning’s sake (or for the lulz).

There’s also a certain level of fun gotten by irritating people like this. Think about trolling a Twilight forum, all these people fawning over this book series like it’s the best thing ever when it’s really just another book, clones of traditional story archetypes actually. And then it’s too easy, these people jump back and fight the troll with knives in their teeth and rage in their eyes, and that just makes it EVEN funnier to the troll!

Plus, it’s very easy to do this online. A troll likely would not be so rude face to face because that takes courage and justification (at least to avoid retaliation).

Why do they do it? I think the primary reason is lulz. They do it cause it’s amusing to them. There could be some components of insecurity/loneliness/social exclusion, but for the most part I don’t believe this is the primary driving force behind trolls. I think they do it cause they love to get a reaction out of others.

bad attention is better than no attention at all….

Some people just love to be pathetic.

lurve for grok.

grok it is