Why do people flame bait?

To me there’s a difference between “flame baiting” and just picking a fight/starting an argument.

Flame-baiting is when you don’t actually care about the subject at all, and you most likely don’t even really believe the opinion you’re spouting, you’re just trying to get a rise out of someone else for your own entertainment.

Starting an argument could be because you actually disagree with the person, maybe in hindsight the topic wasn’t that important and the person had a valid point of view, but at the time, you might have done it because you felt an urge to take issue with something they said or something along those lines.

@La_chica_gomela- Your definition of flame baiting is exactly what I mean; people starting shit just to get things going. They usually don’t care what points are made, just as long as it creates heated dialogue.

I just realized my comment was pointless; @La_chica_gomela just made my point.

I don’t know why people like to start shit just for the sake of conflict. Maybe they’re just miserable people who want to take everyone down with them. That or attention.

I do sometimes. When you work in a poorly managed organisation it is often the only way to get things done.

Don’t ask me. I will admit that if someone is really bothering me, insulting me, or being rude to me in general, I kind of feel like I want to start something with them and I won’t hesitate to attack back and try to get them angry. I don’t feel like they had a right to treat me like that, so I will respond. I am not lying when I say that I never start arguments and insult-fights on the internet, it’s always someone else doing it to me first. But I have a habit of liking to insult back when insulted.

Some people just get a thrill out of it. I don’t understand the mind of a troll, but I’ve known them. I’ve known people who came on a website and just started insulting people they didn’t even know. I even tried calling them “a worthless, useless, piece of nothing” (which they were) and they don’t respond. They just like insulting people for no reason and they don’t care if you insult them back.

@AstroChuck: I don’t really understand that phenomenon either, it’s the same with those TV shows (a lot of reality shows) where it’s just people yelling at each other about NOTHING with little to no substance.
“OH MY GOD! KELLY, YOU PARKED YOUR CAR IN FRONT OF MINE! YOU’RE SUCH A BITCH!”
“NO, YOU’RE THE BITCH, BITCH!”.

I get that some people get a rush out of starting shit and that it gives them some kind of thrill to get others all worked up over something. I’m not that kind of person, so I don’t know what it is about that they like, per se. I don’t get wanting to watch it on TV though, that I really don’t get.

@La_chica_gomela

There’s a reason why everyone flocks to the fights when they happen at school and there’s a reason why reality shows like Big Brother (that have tons of yelling and arguing) are popular. People do get a rush out of it and I am guilty of liking to see stuff like that sometimes. I don’t really know why. My mom says it’s because I’m a man. :P

Boredom.

@DominicX: Exactly! I’m the kind of person that would hear there was a fight, and I’m all “Oh my god, someone get a teacher! They’re going to get hurt! (wringing hands)” Of course, I’m not into sports either.

@Lightlyseared: In my experience, that guy prevents anything from getting done.

@asmonet well obviously you don’t work fo a massive government agency staffed by people who think that just because that was how things were done for the last 60 years that you can’t do it any other way.

Schadenfreude, taking pleasure in others’ misery, that will surely arise as a result of the ensueing argument.

I’ve never tried that. Does it make the fish bite more?

@Lightlyseared: Well, obviously you’re bitter about it. Get a new job instead of being hostile.