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Trolls

C

coati

New member
I'm new to online forums. TFL consistently holds my interest and has high standards. It's one of a very few that I read.

My question: trolls. There is an individual who breathlessly posts arcane and obtuse musings on velocity, bullet shape, barrel length, and the like. Apparently this person has reinvented himself using several names and is quickly identifiable by moderators. They rein the threads in quickly.

Some members attempt to engage but seem hesitant, observing that any response may expose the thin reasoning of the thread-starter. Or, maybe, they're afraid of where the topic may go.

Is this person
a) trying to create a disturbance
b) an ATF agent, searching out actionable behavior
c) a nut?

I understand that discussing him (or her, to be fair) might draw some unwanted attention. It seems like that his threads would drop like last year's grapefruit, left alone. I'm just curious, for the sake of the medium more than for his alleged expertise in firearms.
 
coati-
What does a troll feed most upon?

Answer: Attention. Good attention, bad attention...it doesn't matter. The answer is Attention. Like many of you, we strain at the bit not to engage Trolls publicly. And so you quietly see them disappear....without attention. Long time Members know this to be the way we work and, almost invariably, support us by not engaging.

No insult intended, coati. It is a reasonable question. However, if the answer is clear, I ask that all others do us a favor by letting this thread quietly sink.

Luci's Law of Internet Discussion Management #242:
Dont' feed the Trolls!
Click to expand...
Rich
 
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