The English noun "troll" comes from the Old Norse word of the same name which meant giant or demon. In English lore it is usually an ugly dwarf or giant, at times bent on mischief and wickedness. We are all familiar with the one who lived under the rickety rackety bridge that Big Billy Goat Gruff sorted out.
However it can also be a person who writes on an internet forum whose intention is not to contribute positively, but to upset regular users and generally cause mayhem on a site. One characteristic may be that a troll will post something upsetting or controversial, then retire from debate and rather sadistically enjoy the pandemonium it has stirred up. Alternatively it might stick around, continually winding people up.
General advice on dealing with trolls on internet sites is "Do not feed the Troll". This essentially means not responding to the Troll's posts, so that the Troll is starved of the attention it so badly craves. Nothing massages the Troll's immature ego more than knowing people are taking notice of it. It's difficult to completely ignore the Troll because when confronted with something that annoys us it's human nature to challenge it.
Most of us who post on the internet like to be a bit controversial, some of us, particularly myself, can be mischievous as well. However most of us try and make a positive contribution and we stick around to fight our corner if the need arises. After all, this is what debate, discussion and democracy should be about. Trolls don't usually like to stick around. They get found out that way. They are not on a site to debate, to discuss, or to encourage democratic views. They are there to create havoc.
Another telling characteristic, in my opinion, is that they cannot see wrong in anything they post. They are right - all the time. There is little or no acknowledgment that people can legitimately hold different opinions about the same thing.
Nevertheless, as long as you recognise that you are dealing with a Troll and accept its social and personal limitations, I see no harm in feeding it now and again. One reason is that without any discourse with the Troll it would go away sooner rather than later, probably in an angrier or more depressed mood than when it came onto the internet forum. I take pity on all creatures in this world, no matter how pathetic they may be. Why, I would even help an MP in distress. By allowing the Troll its head you are helping a desperate soul and for that you deserve a pat on the back.
But I keep a Billy Goat in the garden - just in case.
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