Trolls and OT

[A2Z]

Besides, we are a community. That means jokes and chatting as well as straight commentary. I don't ever want that to change.

I couldn't agree more. I can't remember who said this but I still remember the quote: "I came here for D&D. I stayed because of the community".

I love talking about D&D here, but it's because I enjoy talking to these people about D&D that I also want to talk to them about other things. If I were to go look for a Buffy or Star Trek forum I would lose the best part about talking about these things here; The people.

 

[graydoom]

Besides, we are a community. That means jokes and chatting as well as straight commentary. I don't ever want that to change.

I very much agree. Community talk, jokes, off topic stuff, and all that... I feel that General Discussion is a perfectly fine place for it. The community we have here is a big part of what makes ENBoards great.

 

[reapersaurus]

I, for one, applaud this thread, though i hold NO faith that anything will be done about this vermin.

The Powers That Be are too much fans of the concept of trolling to realize its destructive impacts, apparently.

And thus Piratecat bears this out.

BTW: I have no problem with OT threads... i think they are an important part of this community, as Piratecat says.

I reject his implication that TROLLS are a necessary, or welcome, addition to this community.
Trolls are not jokes, or joshing around.

They destroy the tenuous hold on reasonable discourse that we have on these boards.
This is evidenced by MANY times, a valid thread is veered off course because someone believes the poster to not be serious.

HolyBovine, it would be nice if it was as simple as you say.
You can't just "ignore" Trolls and hope they go away.
They DON'T.
Your suggestion to not post to troll threads is analogous to "Don't buy drugs from a pusher and they'll go away."

SOMEONE will buy the drugs from the pusher, and possibly become addicted to the destructive habit of trolling, purportedly as an "art form."

Bleeeaaach.

The only way to deal with trolls is to not encourage them, and to expose them as such early and often.

 

[Piratecat]

Errrrr....

I think it's kind of a stretch to equate message board trolls with drug pushers. We're having fun here; this isn't rocket science, and it isn't life-or-death. It's a messageboard about a fun game, and I think it's a damn good one. It self-regulates itself, just as you're doing right now. That's why moderators shut so few threads; very few people are purposeful jerks, and when they do it inadvertently, everyone else lets them know it.

That being said, there is a different between malicious trolls and jokes. I have very little tolerance for mean-spirited, argument-encouraging cruelty. I have more tolerance for thought-provoking silliness. I doubt that will change, and I'm sorry that we disagree, but there it is.

 

[reapersaurus]

I have more tolerance for thought-provoking silliness. I doubt that will change, and I'm sorry that we disagree, but there it is.

I thought the drug-pusher analogy was damn good! *sniff* <-- crying, not.. you know.

If trolls were thought-provoking (a la Bugaboo at his best) i really wouldn't have a problem with them.

The problem is, people now use them as an excuse to "get one over" on the silly newbies, who *actually* take people at face value on the boards.

There is a place for thought-provoking trollish behavior, and it's Nutkinland.
Go there, people, and see what becomes of a place that indulges in too much clique-like in-jokes and not-posting-what-they-really-mean.
It's much rarer to have a place where people say what they actually mean, not just pose and posture.

I, for one, will fight to keep the ENBoards a place where sincerity and honesty is not an extinct trait.

 

[Holy Bovine]

HolyBovine, it would be nice if it was as simple as you say.
You can't just "ignore" Trolls and hope they go away.
They DON'T.
Your suggestion to not post to troll threads is analogous to "Don't buy drugs from a pusher and they'll go away."

SOMEONE will buy the drugs from the pusher, and possibly become addicted to the destructive habit of trolling, purportedly as an "art form."

Did you really type this? Trolling is like drug pushers?

You're just trolling right?

I know, I know 'its been done' still your post was just begging for this.

 

[Darkness]

I reject his implication that TROLLS are a necessary, or welcome, addition to this community.
Trolls are not jokes, or joshing around.

They destroy the tenuous hold on reasonable discourse that we have on these boards.
This is evidenced by MANY times, a valid thread is veered off course because someone believes the poster to not be serious.

I don't think so. Maybe that happens every now and then, but most trolls are in threads that were started for the purpose of trolling, actually...

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Fromout of nowhere, an attack!

From offside, Kwalish Kid lunges on the freaks that are perhaps inadvertently trolling this forum by complaining about trolls. One claw for TeaBee, one claw for the always dull reapersaurus, Kwalish Kid smashes them to the ground.

Aha! You have merited baseless personal attacks! I shall be merciless. Let this be a lesson to you!

Kwalish Kid exits, stage right.

 

[Someguy]

Re: Fromout of nowhere, an attack!

From offside, Kwalish Kid lunges on the freaks that are perhaps inadvertently trolling this forum by complaining about trolls. One claw for TeaBee, one claw for the always dull reapersaurus, Kwalish Kid smashes them to the ground.

Aha! You have merited baseless personal attacks! I shall be merciless. Let this be a lesson to you!

Kwalish Kid exits, stage right.

Someguy claps politly