Jon iz teh kewl: Rapmaster2000: Millennium: The overuse of the troll accusation in contemporary Internet culture comes from the same epistemological lock that the "my opposition doesn't think" meme does: the idea that one's own opinion is not merely correct, but the only sensible conclusion.

They branch only when it comes to the conclusion one makes about one's opponent. In the unthinking-opposition meme, the conclusion is that the opposition just hasn't thought things through enough, because obviously they'd agree with you if they were thinking deeply about these things the way you do. In the malicious-opposition meme, the conclusion is that the opposition doesn't really believe what they're saying: they actually think just as you do, but they're out to hurt people, and making these arguments is an effective way of doing that.

Needless to say, these are both ridiculous. Their spread is doing truly ludicrous levels of harm to national and international discourse. The problem lies in figuring out how to counteract it, particularly when political parties have found it so useful for motivating their own bases.

But is it possible to unintentionally troll? For example, have you ever observed when someone has been defeated in an argument and they move into non-sequiturs and red herrings as a way to prolong the argument or open a new attack? Isn't that the same as trolling.

Or does trolling require intent?

intent doesn't a troll make

yes. i put "make" at the end of the sentence to MAKE myself sound SMARTER

or more Yodaesque...

It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.

What a lod of crap. Absolutely EVERYTHING I post on Fark is TOTALLY how I actually feel about the subject at hand. It comes from years of INTROSPECTION and DEEP THOUGHT on the matter. It's TOTALLY not intended to send thin-skinned, self-righteous idiots who have no respect for other's views and who have never tried to see things from someone else's side into HISTRIONICS for my own personal AMUSEMENT!!! For God's sakes, people, do you think I erupt in laughter whenever some anonymous stranger, someone who has no clue as to my background, experience, or motivations tells me that they're about to IGNORE ME??? No way--the pain of being ignored cuts DEEPLY to the BONE; it's a TRAUMA that I don't think I'll ever recover from.

This is the Internet. This is FARK. This is SERIOUS BUSINESS.

aselene: Dovetailing nicely with his assertion that the new definition of "troll" is "someone who says something you don't like," is Fark's longtime definition of "troll" as "anyone who dares express the conservative point of view, especially in stimulating, thought-provoking diarrhea-inducing ways." 

FTFY

sodomizer: Millennium: The overuse of the troll accusation in contemporary Internet culture comes from the same epistemological lock that the "my opposition doesn't think" meme does: the idea that one's own opinion is not merely correct, but the only sensible conclusion.

Doesn't everyone think this way?

I mean, you go through life, and learn things. At that point, you're going to defend those realizations unless given strong contrary proof.

The problem is that when your belief is not grounded in experience, but wishful thinking, you have no way to explain it. And thus "troll" is the easiest statement to make.

No not everyone thinks that way. And it's not so much that one's opinion is correct, it's that any contrary opinion is wrong.

For example, of all the "militant" vegetarians, animal rights activists, "psychics", and third wave feminists that you know, how many of them are naive, over-privelged white women in their early 20's?

doubled99: I assume most people come here for general conversation and entertainment. Even if a "troll" isn't genuine in his post, who cares? If you had a hour long debate and it kept you busy and interested, what difference does it make?

Because MY opinion matters!!! How DARE someone not treat me with the gravity I DESERVE!!!

WWTPBB was my second favorite fark troll.
my first is this guy

ciberido: Prevailing Wind: Prevailing Wind: yes it does.

no it doesn't

Look, if I argue with you, I must take up a contrary position!

I prefer to take up the same position, word it so it SEEMS different, then argue the hell out of it.

Cythraul: This thread will lead to many additions to my Fark 'Trolls and Assholes' list, I'm sure.

So.. everybody?

sodomizer: How most people read this:

Anyone saying anything I don't like is a troll.

At least, that's how many people use the term around here and on /.

Not really. It's how the person expresses the conflicting opinion that counts. I have no problem with someone saying they think that Obama is a bad president. Hell, the whole point of online discussion is to learn something from your peers. So if you have a specific beef with the president, I'm all ears.

But if you're a Tea Party type who bursts into the thread with hyperbolic and nebulous claims that Obama uses the Constitution as toilet paper, well, you're not adding to the conversation and serve only to derail it. You know, a troll.

dickfreckle: Not really. It's how the person expresses the conflicting opinion that counts.

No, really. We're not talking about accepted definition, but common use.

/quasi-controversial thing i disagree with
//YOU TROLLN

This is simply fantastic.

Psycoholic_Slag: I recall the days of Whoopty Woo The Precious Bongo Boy

That was trolling at it's highest level evar. No one has come close.

What ever happened to Whoopty? He used to make my head shake in WTFness? a lot.

Have you ever been called a troll by aperson whom you agree with on the topic at hand?

/awkward