Um, that’s not driving trollies, that’s plain old debate.
So it’s obviously a question of intent, which can be ascertained by determining if any instance is isolated or part of a pattern. And dodgy methods of argument employed by non-trollies should be quashed too.
Fucking love @bardfinn’s nifty idea.
FARK has a few quality trolls, masters really, those are much admired by the proficient users.
At least they have resources like this…
He spelled it correctly, which you did not do . Since you asked.
I guess that you’re right, it is a question of intent… which is something that is usually impossible to determine, hence the point of trolling. I don’t think that patterns of fallacy are helpful, as people tend to tend to hold archipelagos of allied irrational opinions. It’s not like someone who is anti-evolution is going to be pro-choice and pro-gun-control. The bad faith element is the signature of a troll and I can’t see how that would be determined. I also find myself arguing against my own opinions to test my reasoning, challenge irrational alliances (such as the anarchist-vegan complex) and just so that discussions don’t become complete circle-jerks; because it seems that when we aren’t complaining about trolls, we’re complaining that the internet confirms our own biases.
Frankly I’m more concerned about being involved in discussion where self-appointed arbiters can cry ‘troll!’ whenever they come across an opinion that is not formed within parameters they find acceptable, than to be involved in discussions where the opposing perspective is given in bad faith.
Dealing with arguments which are fallacious has been the purpose of debate since forever, and I consider it irrelevant whether or not that fallacy is unintentional, the consequence of other fallacious views, or a fallacious understanding of the necessary relationships between views (“I’m a Christian, so evolution is a myth”), the intentional use of fallacy to annoy, distract, or mislead the opponent, or more likely a combination of factors. Remember that Socrates was executed for trolling.
I suspect that ‘dark tetrad’ characteristics are the product of the environment, rather than of genetics. Namely, an environment where one is surrounded by self-righteous idiots. So removing trolls from the environment may well accelerate the process of their production.
Quite the opposite - that’s why UK media are clambering over each other to feature that awful Katie Hopkins woman. A good troll is great for ad revenue, because their victims will be like a dog with a bone.
Wait, trolls are not self-righteous idiots?
Genghis Khan, not known for lulz.
Now who is engaging in the art of controversy? I affirm nothing regarding the self-righteousness of trolls, only of those who would sacrifice freedom of discourse and justify it as troll-prophylaxis. As Benjamin Franklin said, “those who are willing to sacrifice their freedom for a little temporary security, deserve neither”. I’d say that goes double for “freedom of speech” and “people being mean and tricksy”.
That is not to say that I think the only meaningful expression of freedom of speech is getting all up in peoples’ faces - I despair of the view that the worthy use of free speech is continual antagonism and expression of bigotry. Not as much as I despair of conversations stopped and threads locked because someone thinks that an arbitrary ‘troll event horizon’ has been breached (or that they don’t like the line being taken and ‘trolling’ becomes a convenient excuse).
It’d certainly level the playing field between the trolls and the already-impotent whaaambulance lobby.
But known for spreading his genes around…
The only people who can sacrifice the freedom of discourse include our hosts, and especiall @codinghorror, who literally provides discourse, free of charge to us.
“People”, or your hosts? Freedom of the press requires owning a press. Neither you nor I own this press. This is private property. We’re guests. Our right to be on this property is at the whim of a a tricky luck dragon, and several early model hipsters (no offense Boingers). Take that as a given and try again, because I couldn’t make out your point through what sounded like a thick layer of entitlement.
I am going to call my next car the Whambulance.
“My house, my rules.” Yawn.
Their house, their rules.
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