Trolls

**mittengal** · December-23-10, 06:59 PM

While I enjoy keeping in touch with the old home town, IMO, this forum has too much trolling. Even the most benign subject degenerates into an argument. Respectful disgreement & debate is good, but insulting & often irrelevent remarks, with the purpose of stirring up trouble, should not be tolerated. Lowell should be much more strict. I'm sure there are many members who don't post because of the trolls.

**Mikeg** · December-23-10, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by mittengal

While I enjoy keeping in touch with the old home town, IMO, this forum has too much trolling. Even the most benign subject degenerates into an argument. Respectful disgreement & debate is good, but insulting & often irrelevent remarks, with the purpose of stirring up trouble, should not be tolerated. Lowell should be much more strict. I'm sure there are many members who don't post because of the trolls.

This is the wrong forum if you're trying to "keep in touch with the old home town". You wouldn't be trying to stir up some trouble on the Non-Detroit Issues forum, would you?

**jcole** · December-23-10, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by mittengal

While I enjoy keeping in touch with the old home town, IMO, this forum has too much trolling. Even the most benign subject degenerates into an argument. Respectful disgreement & debate is good, but insulting & often irrelevent remarks, with the purpose of stirring up trouble, should not be tolerated. Lowell should be much more strict. I'm sure there are many members who don't post because of the trolls.

If you think this forum is bad, you haven't been around much. Let your mouse do the walking over to the Detnews, Freep or ClickonDetroit sites and see some real trolling and racial slurs. Lowell keeps the sniping to a minimum for the most part, even deleting posts and whole threads if he deems them 'offensive'

**Ray1936** · December-23-10, 09:06 PM

jcole nailed it. The posters on this forum are Pulitzer winners compared to the Freep comments. Any public forum is going to have occasional trolls, but if you keep your sense of humor, even they can be worth a chuckle or two. Around here, anyway.....I'd not say that for the Freep.

Pingu · December-23-10, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by mittengal

While I enjoy keeping in touch with the old home town, IMO, this forum has too much trolling. Even the most benign subject degenerates into an argument. Respectful disgreement & debate is good, but insulting & often irrelevent remarks, with the purpose of stirring up trouble, should not be tolerated. Lowell should be much more strict. I'm sure there are many members who don't post because of the trolls.

I love trolls, they're delicious!

**jcole** · December-23-10, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by Pingu

I love trolls, they're delicious!

But only if lightly sauted. Deep fried is too heavy.

**Johnnny5** · December-23-10, 11:58 PM

Lately, some posters here on DYES seem to have expanded the meaning of the the word "Trolling". I can't remember very many times there was a left leaning poster here that was called out as being a "Troll". Seems a bit odd, but after being on this site for a long while I can't say it's surprising.

**firstandten** · December-24-10, 01:39 AM

Actually this is one of the better sites I have been on. Its civil most of the time. You can get some really good info as well. Of course you will get a certain amount of trolls but some of the other public forums sites are terrible.

The Non-Detroit board could really get out of hand but Lowell, and the people who post alot work to keep it from getting too crazy.

**Ragtoplover59** · December-24-10, 06:16 AM

From the new people, I get a chuckle when someone calls out someone who has been a part of DetroitYes for the last three versions of the forum, a "troll"

And from the old people, I miss the times when there were more questions and fun-finding facts about Detroit, compared to the snappy comebacks in the tone of
"we covered that enough 6 years ago if you were smart enough to do a search before asking" replies?

I also kind of miss the white text on black background look of the page from years ago.

I also hate these little smiley faces that I can't stop adding every time I post now!

lincoln8740 · December-24-10, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Lately, some posters here on DYES seem to have expanded the meaning of the the word "Trolling". I can't remember very many times there was a left leaning poster here that was called out as being a "Troll". Seems a bit odd, but after being on this site for a long while I can't say it's surprising.

A lot of that has to do with the maturity level around here. I mean this is a very leftist board occupied by a lot college kids and the hipster doofus crowd that live in their own leftist bubble. How many conservative friends does someone like max have? So when you challenge their point of view the name calling starts. Although once the name calling starts you know you are winning the argument.

**East Detroit** · December-24-10, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by lincoln8740

A lot of that has to do with the maturity level around here. I mean this is a very leftist board occupied by a lot college kids and the hipster doofus crowd that live in their own leftist bubble. How many conservative friends does someone like max have? So when you challenge their point of view the name calling starts. Although once the name calling starts you know you are winning the argument.

Nice parody of a troll! Hilarious! Good job!

gdogslim · December-24-10, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by mittengal

While I enjoy keeping in touch with the old home town, IMO, this forum has too much trolling. Even the most benign subject degenerates into an argument. Respectful disgreement & debate is good, but insulting & often irrelevent remarks, with the purpose of stirring up trouble, should not be tolerated. Lowell should be much more strict. I'm sure there are many members who don't post because of the trolls.

If a subject matter so upsets you so much that you cannot tolerate it, just click the back arrow and find a thread that interests you.
Like if you don't like watching Larry King Live, Hannity, Dancing with the Stars, etc, then just turn the channel.
I disagree with all my friends and family at times, it doesn't mean I will ban them from my life or try to overturn the 1st Amendment to prevent others from arguing

**Gistok** · December-24-10, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by lincoln8740

A lot of that has to do with the maturity level around here. I mean this is a very leftist board occupied by a lot college kids and the "hipster doofus crowd that live in their own leftist bubble". How many conservative friends does someone like max have? So when you challenge their point of view the name calling starts. Although once the name calling starts you know you are winning the argument.

Apparently you need to reread your posts before calling others out on "name calling"... it's like this is a pattern among the Hannity-Beck-Limbaugh followers... and they hear so much "leftist" bashing from those "commentators"... that the posters don't seem to be aware that they're following in their "ad hominem" footsteps.....

The reaction afterwards from left [[and center) folks is then predictable....

**Gistok** · December-24-10, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by gdogslim

If a subject matter so upsets you so much that you cannot tolerate it, just click the back arrow and find a thread that interests you.
Like if you don't like watching Larry King Live, Hannity, Dancing with the Stars, etc, then just turn the channel.
I disagree with all my friends and family at times, it doesn't mean I will ban them from my life or try to overturn the 1st Amendment to prevent others from arguing

It's funny that you mention that you disagree with all of your friend and family at times... at the Jon Stewart rally I saw [[on the web) a sign held up by a young kid which states "Beck You Brainwashed my Grandparents... I want them back!!".

I know of a situation when a Beck-Hannity-Limbaugh watching grandmother got up and left a Thanksgiving gathering at the table and went home... because her grandson said something in defense of Obama, after she ridiculed him...

What the hell is wrong with people today???

**1KielsonDrive** · December-24-10, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Pingu

I love trolls, they're delicious!

I agree..............

**1KielsonDrive** · December-24-10, 03:21 PM

I've been censored here a few times and it had nothing to do with politics - it had to do with P.C. One time the moderator denied I was censored, but my post was gone, in a flash, and another time it was clearly overreaction on the moderator's part. Yeah, the righties, much like the fundies, are always crying discrimination. I don't care what they say, they have a right to post it. But if they're going to cry about discrimination, they oughtta go to one of their own websites to post. DY may have a moderate bent, but that's the breaks. The righties own commercial teevee and radio airwaves. Literally.

**mittengal** · December-24-10, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by mittengal

While I enjoy keeping in touch with the old home town, IMO, this forum has too much trolling. Even the most benign subject degenerates into an argument. Respectful disgreement & debate is good, but insulting & often irrelevent remarks, with the purpose of stirring up trouble, should not be tolerated. Lowell should be much more strict. I'm sure there are many members who don't post because of the trolls.

I suppose I should have written Dyes, rather than "this forum". I posted on non Detroit because I don't feel the subject of internet trolling belongs on "discuss Detroit". All 4 forums of Dyes have too much trolling [[even free ads) Calling it humor does not make it ok. I have "been around"--I read many public forums & Dyes is not nearly as bad. I'm on several other forums [[1 for 13 years) which are much friendlier. I had hoped for more friendliness & less snottiness from Dyes. Win some, lose some!

**Jimaz** · December-24-10, 07:11 PM

I don't think anyone has mentioned the ignore feature yet. You can specify which users to ignore.

Near the top of this page there's a User CP link. From there, follow User CP > Settings & Options > Edit Ignore List.

**Pam** · December-24-10, 07:35 PM

I mean this is a very leftist board occupied by a lot college kids and the hipster doofus crowd that live in their own leftist bubble

I think there are way more people over 40 here than college kids even among the so called liberals/leftists.

**firstandten** · December-25-10, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by mittengal

I suppose I should have written Dyes, rather than "this forum". I posted on non Detroit because I don't feel the subject of internet trolling belongs on "discuss Detroit". All 4 forums of Dyes have too much trolling [[even free ads) Calling it humor does not make it ok. I have "been around"--I read many public forums & Dyes is not nearly as bad. I'm on several other forums [[1 for 13 years) which are much friendlier. I had hoped for more friendliness & less snottiness from Dyes. Win some, lose some!

Don't you think it depends on the subject [[s) on the board. I would think any board that encourages political discussion would get a little crazy. I would include religion as well.

Ravine · December-25-10, 10:33 AM

We seem to be experiencing an insurgency of folks wishing for an internet forum to not seem like an internet forum.

And I still don't understand the entire concept of the "Ignore" function. I have not had any trouble accomplishing that feat by using a less-than-clever combination of my brain & eyes.

**canuck** · December-25-10, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

It's funny that you mention that you disagree with all of your friend and family at times... at the Jon Stewart rally I saw [[on the web) a sign held up by a young kid which states "Beck You Brainwashed my Grandparents... I want them back!!".

I know of a situation when a Beck-Hannity-Limbaugh watching grandmother got up and left a Thanksgiving gathering at the table and went home... because her grandson said something in defense of Obama, after she ridiculed him...

What the hell is wrong with people today???

The ultimate in trolling, the Beck-Hannity-Limbaugh trinity.

**Jimaz** · December-25-10, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Ravine

And I still don't understand the entire concept of the "Ignore" function. I have not had any trouble accomplishing that feat by using a less-than-clever combination of my brain & eyes.

I agree. With practice that's the better option because you learn to instinctively ignore even their quoted comments which the ignore function misses.

DetroitDad · December-25-10, 04:03 PM

Such is life?

**Jimaz** · December-25-10, 10:59 PM

I think the underlying strategy is pretty obvious but too rarely mentioned out front.

The parasitic saboteurs in power, being the elite that they are, lack votes. They're inherently in the minority. So any energy of their opposing electorate that they can divert toward arguing with morons on an internet message board is energy diverted from contacting Congress instead. That's exactly why there are so many trolls on the internet.

Congress makes law, internet message boards do not. They know that. They're playing that angle—hard. Don't be fooled.

To be more politically effective, instead of reacting to trolls on the internet, contact Congress directly instead. Then redouble your efforts to encourage others to do likewise.