April 15, 2013

"We're all trolls."

Writes Meade (at the Isthmus forum): "This very thread, started by someone who hides behind his troll name, fisticuffs, is an example of spiteful trollery. The question is: do you want to be an affable interesting troll - like Meade - or do you want to be a grumpy old ill-humored boring troll? Like Galoot or fisticuffs."

23 comments:

tiger said...

FTH: 'The question is: do you want to be an affable interesting troll - like Meade - or do you want to be a grumpy old ill-humored boring troll?'

Depends on the day of the week.

Bob Ellison said...

I aspire to be like the troll who scared the Billy goats gruff.

Tibore said...

False premise. Far too many people view asking tough questions or pointing out fallacious arguments as "trolling". That's simply not true. Real "trolling" is never aimed at being informative or constructive, it is meant to do nothing more than gain negative reactions and therefore destroy the conversation.

If Meade's making legitimate points, then there's no trolling involved. Unless the forum's purpose is to be a single-party lovefest, and even then it's hard to call it that if it's based on truth, reality, or making genuine points.

"Trolling" is not simply being contrarian or inconvenient. That's sharp, pointed posting. Trolling is engaging in low tactics to raise ire and lower the level of conversation. While I don't read the Isthmus forum, I have a hard time believing that Meade actually trolls, despite his self-appellation. True trolling is the province of someone who's only purpose is to be destructive. In all my time reading Professor Althouse's forum, Meade has always been anything but that.

ndspinelli said...

Are those are only choices? Annie is a duopoly whore.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I may be a troll, but I troll for the good guys ;)

Tim said...

Ha ha.

Speak for yourself!

My real name is Tim.

Actually, Timothy.

But nobody calls that.

Mostly because I go by Tim.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Trolling is engaging in low tactics to raise ire and lower the level of conversation.

You make it sound fun, like flying a plane or something.

Oh, look at that avatar of yours.

Are you a pilot Tibore?

Tim said...

I will, however, sometime troll the trolls.

That is an entirely useful exercise, I think.

And, even if it isn't, at a base level it is gratifying.

Anonymous said...

Is the word trolling linked as troll under a bridge scaring people or causing mayhem as in fairy tails or is it linked to fishing as in trolling to catch something?

bagoh20 said...

I prefer spearfishing when after prey, but mostly I'm just on this boat for the well-iced beer, and the drunken comrade.

edutcher said...

Trolls, by and large, do not comment in good faith.

There are a couple with whom a civilized conversation can be carried on, but most are their to advance the agenda - by any means necessary, as they say.

edutcher said...

bagoh20 said...

I prefer spearfishing when after prey, but mostly I'm just on this boat for the well-iced beer, and the drunken comrade.

Is she clothed?

bagoh20 said...

"most are their to advance the agenda"

I don't think that works very well. Mostly when I come here, I find out what is wrong with their views, with lots of arguments and links. If their agenda is the point, it would be better served to just shut up. So I welcome them. I just wish they didn't stink up the place with their personal attacks. That crap ruins any party.

66 said...

Grumpy and ill humored, of course, but perhaps not always boring.

bagoh20 said...

"Is she clothed?"

No, but her sails are full and proud.

edutcher said...

That's all that counts.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

"I welcome them. I just wish they didn't stink up the place with their personal attacks. That crap ruins any party."

4/15/13, 10:19 AM

Yeah, it's darn annoying when some uncouth dope comes to the Althouse open house and takes a dump on her beautifully tiled floor.

I stroll around innocently in my spiked heels and cocktail dress enjoying the company of conservatives and a few lliberals and then out of the blue my heel slips out from underneath me and I go down.

That pile of shit that the nasty troll has left is now all over me and my dress has flown up over my head, so I now can't see where I'm going as I'm scrambling to get up gracefully and pull my dress down to cover my panties.

At this point I'm thinking, "I could use a damn hand here", but the party goers that avoided the splattering shit are backing away, when a person with a clothespin on his nose, reaches out a kind and strong hand helping me smooth down my dress and leads me to the bathtub.

I really like most of the Althouse cocktail party guests and I've met some amazing people at these gatherings, but my favorite ones are the ones that aren't squeamish.

And those foul shitters should wear Depends if they are allowed to be among civilized society.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

I prefer to be the cynical meanspirited variety of commenter.

But this should be an excellent opportunity for the pathetic to engage in the lefts favorite passtime, claiming victimhood!

I see it has already begun above, marvelous.

66 said...

In addition, Meade is a Nazi.

Rusty said...

66 said...
Grumpy and ill humored, of course, but perhaps not always boring.

Grumpy, illmannered and boring

Sounds like a law firm.

Amartel said...

Troll: someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community.

Meade's messages are not extraneous or off-topic, and why are they inflammatory? How fragile are you if it's "inflammatory" if you hear competing opinions on the topic of the scope and role of government?

Baron Zemo said...



Meade is not a troll.

He just likes to go to a blog to post snarky comments and jokes to "afflicted the comfortable" and to get a rise out of the pompous pretentious purveyors of puffery. It is all in good faith so to speak.

Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha