Perhaps even easier than going to the effort of bothering with the ignore button mickey, you could try what I call, "the bersuerque troll crazy christian belief - dodge a simple question" method .. Lol
"When God created everything He created all things [which must then include corruption and evil] as very good!" Have to say, that one still makes me smile, watching studentofthebibleistruebecauseitjustismarkets religious non-logic tie him in knots.
Next troll in the line-up and batter's box, to take up the same argument that was already debated with previous trolls. Here's the line-up
I'm a total unbeliever in predictions! A total disbeliever in pshychics and mediums and spiritualists people. With trading I believe 'predicting' is 100% incorrect methodology to trade. Long story, not going to explain, but there's a difference between stupid predicting and anticipating/reacting/hunch/gambling/taking a bet/probabilities/reading market sentiment in the short term/detecting possible trend changes, which is how I trade. This stupid angle of attack of using bible prophesies to prove a point is full of errors. Bible 'prophesies' is wide open to fraud, made thousands of years ago, different languages, different interpretations, subject to manipulation in content and editing, added to a manuscript by biased people with an agenda. I go by what is with me currently, in this day and age, and that is, ANYONE who blathers on about predicting the future is full of shit, period, no iffs or buts.
Stock price forecasting is stock price forecasting. Weather forecasting is weather forecasting Prophecy is prophecy. No one believes in the troll tactic of: false equivalencies. (especially from an admitted troller!) ... except other trolls. Once again, I'm here to debate prophecy with anyone not scared to.
Cultists: Group of committed people seperated from others, with unwavering devotion of another person who is head of the cult. Cultists will believe anything their leader says no matter how ridiculous. Any attempt of cultists to break away is usually met with strong opposition from within the group. Cultist do not believe in free thinking or expression of thought, cultists must adhere to the group thinking. Any cult member who has a different opinion to the group, after councilling has failed is most often banished for life, ostracised, ridiculed, totally cut off. (including family). If the head of the cult has a change of mind, then the group will likewise change their minds. Joining a cult is mostly a simple process, leaving a cult is most often extremely difficult. Cultists most often seperate themselves from mainstream people whom mostly they hold in contempt. Cultists will hold their opinion regardless of rational arguments to the contrary, it all depends on what the head cultists instructs the group to believe. Cultists will die for their leader. Most often there is a religous element tied in with cultists.
troll noun (1) Save Word To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In \ ˈtrōl \ Definition of troll (Entry 1 of 3) : a dwarf or giant in Scandinavian folklore inhabiting caves or hills troll verb trolled; trolling; trolls Definition of troll (Entry 2 of 3) transitive verb 1a: to fish for by trolling b: to fish by trolling introll lakes c: to pull through the water in trollingtroll a lure d: to search in or attrolls flea markets for bargainsalso : PROWLtroll nightclubs 2a: to antagonize (others) online by deliberately posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content… trolls engage in the most outrageous and offensive behaviors possible—all the better to troll you with.— Whitney Phillips b: to act as a troll (see TROLL entry 3 sense 2) on (a forum, site, etc.)… is also notorious, for trolling message boards on the Internet, posting offensive material he himself has written and then suing anyone who responds in agreement.— Mark Hemingway c: to harass, criticize, or antagonize (someone) especially by provocatively disparaging or mocking public statements, postings, or actsThe switch came after the Chargers became the butt of jokes, memes and derision on social media. The NFL tweeted the initial logo Thursday, but later deleted it as the Chargers even got trolled by other pro and college sports teams over the logo that looked like a cross between baseball's Dodgers and hockey's Lightning.— Arnie StapletonBut [Niki] Caro told The Los Angeles Times this week that there might be music after all. Caro said she got trolled by fans because of the rumor of a lack of music.— Herb ScribnerThe club has been trolled in a brutal (and somewhat brilliant) manner—by having a giant poster of Tevez scoring his last-day winner plastered outside their Bramall Lane ground.— Will Magee 3: to cause to move round and round : ROLL 4a: to sing the parts of (something, such as a round or catch) in succession b: to sing loudly c: to celebrate in song intransitive verb 1a: to fish by trailing a lure or baited hook from a moving boat b: SEARCH, LOOKtrolling for sponsorsalso : PROWL 2: to move around : RAMBLE 3: to sing or play in a jovial manner 4: to speak rapidly troll noun (2) Definition of troll (Entry 3 of 3) 1: a lure or a line with its lure and hook used in trolling 2: a person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive contentInternet trollsIn the late 1980s, Internet users adopted the word "troll" to denote someone who intentionally disrupts online communities.— Mattathias Schwartz
Why Do People Troll Online? These 6 reasons can offer some clarity. Posted August 21, 2020 | Reviewed by Devon Frye Share Tweet Email If you’ve ever been the victim of persistent online trolling, then you know exactly how discombobulating it can feel. You might feel mixed emotions that range from confusion and anger to anxiety and sadness. And you wouldn’t be alone. Research has shown that roughly four in 10 Americans have personally experienced online harassment and that 62 percent consider it to be a major problem. You might ask: What causes trolling and what can I do about it? Well, before we can get to the psychology, we have to get our definitions in order. Trolling Defined Different aspects of the trolling phenomenon have gone by many names: trolling, harassment, cyberbullying, flaming, sh*t-posting, etc. While these terms are not exactly the same, they do have a common theme: They all describe bad-faith, unwelcoming behavior that occurs online to disrupt conversations, often by parachuting into discussions uninvited. It’s helpful to think about trolling on a spectrum of intensity and threat level. For example, on one end of the spectrum, there can be infrequent, mildly annoying but ultimately harmless trolling; and on the other end of the spectrum, trolling can bleed into a form that is severe, relentless, and dangerous. The precise boundary between trolling and harassment is fuzzy. If trolling becomes persistent and targeted, then it might be considered harassment and can enter legal territory. Trolling also has different styles. Some trolling is overt and obvious: name-calling, personal attacks, character assassinations, spreading lies, releasing private information (i.e., doxing), complaining to employers, threats, etc. And sometimes it can be covert and sneaky: social media stalking behind a block, "sealioning," talking about someone without tagging or naming them (e.g., sub-tweeting), etc. What Causes Trolling? Trolling is multi-causal. This means that it isn’t caused by any one reason, but rather by many reasons that can add up and interact with each other in a perfect storm to produce trolling. The most helpful way to think about these causes is to divide them into two broad categories: reasons outside of a person (i.e., environmental factors) and reasons inside of a person (i.e., individual factors). Environmental factors that contribute to trolling: The online disinhibition effect: This phenomenon describes an illusion of invincibility and invisibility. A person is more likely to troll from behind a screen than face-to-face due to a false sense of security. Metaphorically, the online environment can produce a sort of mental veil that seems to open a release valve into some of the darker corners of human nature—not unlike the “liquid courage” and disinhibition that alcohol can provide. Unsurprisingly, combining the online disinhibition effect with alcohol use can be a recipe for disaster. Anonymity: If a person engages anonymously online, then it’s like the online disinhibition effect has just taken steroids. It is easier to troll with the illusion of no accountability and no connection to one’s life off-line. Tribalism: The power of the group can add more fuel to the fire. Like a pack of wolves, humans are social creatures and have an innate desire to be part of a group. When many members of a group are trolling a target, a sense of belonging can be achieved by conforming to the group’s behavior. Individual factors that contribute to trolling: Personality: There are many ways of understanding personality. In essence, personality traits are deeply ingrained patterns of thinking and behaving. One way to understand one particular aspect of personality is to focus on some of the darker sides of human nature, which researchers have called the dark tetrad: sadism, psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. The dark tetrad has been found to be associated with trolling. Within the dark tetrad, sadism has been found to be the strongest predictor of trolling, which describes the tendency to derive pleasure or enjoyment from being cruel or demeaning to others. It is important to recognize that sadism in this sense occurs on a spectrum—people can have more or less sadistic tendencies. Ideologically possessed beliefs: Some people are married to their beliefs and don't believe in divorce. In other words, some people can rigidly over-identify with particular beliefs (e.g., about health, gender, racism, politics, etc.) to the extent that they might engage in trolling behavior when those beliefs are threatened. People don’t like it when their worldviews are poked and prodded because it can be very upsetting when someone is told that the way in which they understand the world is wrong. It can also feel personal and can result in lashing out for protection. Research has shown that people perceive trolling as more deserved and justified when they perceive that the target has committed an offense. Conditioning: Not everyone finds demeaning people to be rewarding and reinforcing. But this is the experience of people with stronger sadistic tendencies. One framework to help understand trolling is what psychologists call operant and classical conditioning. Operant conditioning is the study of rewards and punishment to influence behavior. For some, this might dredge up images of rats or pigeons dancing for food pebbles. Basically, trolling behavior can feel rewarding in two ways: the pleasure experienced from getting a rise out of a target (positive reinforcement) and in some cases, the pleasure experienced by avoiding or distracting from aspects of life that are uncomfortable (negative reinforcement). Like a slot machine, randomly responding to trolling just strengthens the motivation for it to continue. Simultaneously, there are classical conditioning processes going on—reminiscent of a dog that salivates when you open the cupboard because they know they’re about to eat. A dog salivates because they’ve learned that the cupboard represents food. In the same way, people with sadistic tendencies that engage in trolling may salivate, so to speak, when they learn that their target represents the pleasure that they’ll experience when they troll. What Can You Do About Trolling? There isn’t exactly a one-size-fits-all approach to handling trolling because it’s complex, multi-causal, and ranges in severity. But there are surefire ways to cope. First, social support is paramount: It can be tremendously beneficial to relate to others and to express your thoughts and feelings. There are also a variety of online resources that could be helpful. Source: Pixabay Second, the lesson from conditioning is obvious—don’t feed the trolls! If you deprive the experience of pleasure from someone who engages in trolling behavior, then they will learn that they cannot derive pleasure from trolling you and will likely desist. The block function on social media is one way to assert this boundary and also delivers the message: “I deserve to be treated with respect, kindness, and good-faith engagement.” Lastly, trolling can result in many mixed emotions. In this vein, it’s important to develop and practice mental health coping skills. If you’re struggling with mental health concerns, then you should seek help from a professional. If you’re being harassed and feeling threatened, then you should call the police and seek legal counsel. It is important to remember that respectful disagreement is not trolling—and at the same time, no one is owed your engagement. A version of this article was originally published by Medium. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/writing-integrity/202008/why-do-people-troll-online
New research shows trolls don’t just enjoy hurting others, they also feel good about themselves September 16, 2020 1.17am EDT Author Evita March Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Federation University Australia Disclosure statement Evita March does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Partners Federation University Australia provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU. View all partners We believe in the free flow of information Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. Email Twitter128 Facebook8.3k LinkedIn Print There is an urgent need to understand why people troll. Recent Australian estimates show about one in three internet users have experienced online harassment. Across several research studies, I have attempted to construct the psychological profile of those who trolls to harm others. In my most recent study, conducted with Genevieve Steele, I wanted to see if trolling could be linked to self-esteem. Do people troll because they have low self-worth? Analysis of the world, from experts What is trolling? In scientific literature, internet trolling is defined as a malicious online behaviour, characterised by aggressive and deliberate provocation of others. “Trolls” seek to provoke, upset and harm others via inflammatory messages and posts. Read more: Online trolling used to be funny, but now the term refers to something far more sinister Trolling can refer to a variety of online behaviour. In some circumstances, the intent of the trolling behaviour may even be to amuse and entertain. However, in my research, I have explored trolling as a malevolent behaviour, where the troll wants to hurt their online victim. Why is trolling a problem? Trolling can cause significant harm and distress. It is associated with serious physical and psychological effects, including disrupted sleep, lowered self-esteem, depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and in some cases, even suicide. Trolling can lead to sleep loss and mental health issues. www.shutterstock.com In 2019, The Australia Institute estimated trolling and online abuse had cost the Australian economy up to $3.7 billion in health costs and lost income. Alarmingly, it is extremely common to experience trolling. Combined with the psychological and economic costs of trolling, this demonstrates the urgency of understanding why people troll. If we can understand why people troll, this can inform management and prevention. Researching trolls In my latest study, I explored gender, psychopathy, sadism and self-esteem as predictors of engaging in malevolent trolling. Psychopathy is characterised by callousness, deceitfulness and a lack of personal responsibility. Sadism is characterised by enjoyment of physically and/or psychologically harming other people. The study recruited 400 participants via social media advertisements. Almost 68% of participants were women, 43% were Australian, while the average age was 25. They completed an anonymous, confidential online questionnaire, which assessed personality and self-esteem. Read more: Women troll on dating apps just as often as men The study also measured the extent to which participants displayed troll-like behaviours. For example: I enjoy upsetting people I do not personally know on the internet although some people think my posts are offensive, I think they are funny. What the study found Results showed that gender, psychopathy, and sadism were all significant independent predictors of malevolent trolling. That is, if you are male, have high psychopathy, or high sadism, you are more likely to troll. The most powerful predictor of trolling was sadism. The more someone enjoys hurting others, the more likely it is they will troll. Men are more likely to be trolls than women. www.shutterstock.com Self-esteem was not an independent predictor of trolling. However, we found self-esteem interacts with sadism. So, if a person had high levels of sadism and high self-esteem, they were more likely to troll. This result was unexpected because low self-esteem has predicted other antisocial online behaviour, such as cyberbullying. What does this mean? These results have important implications for how we manage and respond to trolling. First, based on the results of psychopathy and sadism, we understand the internet troll as someone who is callous, lacks a sense of personal responsibility and enjoys causing others harm. The significance of psychopathy in the results also indicates trolls have an empathy deficit, particularly when it comes to their ability to experience and internalise other people’s emotions. On top of this, the interaction between high sadism and high self-esteem suggests trolls are not trolling because they have low self-worth. In fact, this is quite the opposite. The more someone enjoys hurting others and the better they feel about themselves, the more likely they are to troll. So, how can we use this information? Unfortunately, the psychological profile of an internet troll means you will not get far appealing to their sense of humanity. And don’t just brush off the troll as someone who has low self-worth. Their character is far more complex, which makes managing the behaviour all the more challenging. Previous research has found showing the troll they have upset you may only reinforce their behaviour. Don’t show trolls they upset you. www.shutterstock.com It appears the popular refrain is correct: don’t feed the trolls and give them the hurt or angry response they are looking for. This does not mean we should just ignore this behaviour. People who commit this type of cyber abuse should still be held accountable for their actions. I propose we change the narrative. Trolls are not to be feared — their power lies in the reactions they cause. Read more: 'Don't feed the trolls' really is good advice – here's the evidence One way we can start is to become active bystanders. Bystanders are those who witness the trolling. Active bystanders intervene and say “this is not okay”. Don’t fight fire with fire. Respond with outward indifference and strict no tolerance. Let’s work together to dismantle the power of the troll and take back the internet from their influence. It is not only up to the person experiencing the trolling to respond and manage the behaviour. We all need to take responsibility for our online environment. Trolling Cyberbullying Internet trolling eSafety Before you go... If you found the article you just read to be insightful, you’ll be interested in our free daily newsletter. 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As long as elitetrader admins grant obvious trolls free rein, some of us will do our best to make them earn it.