Enter The Concern Troll

[LivingWordUnity]

Here's an article about something that is common nowadays on websites. It's called a "concern troll". So I'm posting this article about it to hopefully raise people's awareness of the signs to look for since I just learned about it myself.

Enter The Concern Troll.

There are two ways of disagreeing with someone. One is to disagree openly. The other is to say, “I support you, but you’re doing it wrong.”

The second is insidious.

The second is condescending, insincere, manipulative. It even says so in the Urban Dictionary definition.

The darkest moment is always just after the concern trolls start pouring in.

“I’m with you,” the concern troll says. “But surely you must see how this looks to people. Not me, of course. But other people. They might think horrible things of you. People might think you were self-centered, fat, slow, rude. Not me, of course. I’m with you. I have your best interests at heart. That’s why I want to warn you. I, you see, know how this ought to be done.”

There is some Faceless Someone out there who is absolutely merciless. That Faceless Someone is saying or might say Terrible, Awful Things.

The concern troll does not agree, of course. But the concern troll wants to make sure you know.

Who might say these things, you ask?

Well, you know. People.

(Read more)

 

[Michie]

Wow! Thanks LWU!

 

[pdudgeon]

oh yea, i think we've been invaded. makes a lot of sense.

 

[Sword of the Lord]

Concern Trolls and Brinkers are very easy to spot. We all know of several that specialize in both.

 

[LivingWordUnity]

Concerned Trolls and Brinkers are very easy to spot. We all know of several that specialize in both.

Some of them seem to have made a career of it. There's something called "astroturfing".


.

 

[Sword of the Lord]

Lord, have mercy.

 

[pdudgeon]

and thank you, LWU, for the good lesson. you are so kind to find us lessons that are easy to learn from,
and that help to make us better.

 

[LivingWordUnity]

and thank you, LWU, for the good lesson. you are so kind to find us lessons that are easy to learn from,
and that help to make us better.

MoonlessNight mentioned it, and I looked it up. So I think he should get the credit.

 

[Michie]

But you brought it to our attention. That is worth something!

MoonlessNight mentioned it, and I looked it up. So I think he should get the credit.

 

[benedictaoo]

I would think those kind of people would make better use of their time. If you are one way, just come out the closet and own it. Don't be deceiving, if you want to tell somebody something, come out and say it. Don't cloak yourself. Just be yourself. Isn't that what liberal moralists say? If you're not the sex you were born, be yourself? If you're really not a nice person, be yourself.

 

[LivingWordUnity]

But you brought it to our attention. That is worth something!

Okay, thanks.

 

[pdudgeon]

Matthew 7:1-5 and Matthew 7:15-20.

 

[pdudgeon]

the bottom line here is that there isn't anything we can do about it.
no matter whether we're talking about big watchdog organizations, or individuals;
they have friends, (and of course the best of intentions) and so they have immunity to keep right on with what they're doing..

this is just one of those things that will eventually be sorted out when Christ returns.
Meanwhile they get undeserved grace, just like we all do.

another thing to remember is the better a person is, the more critics they have around them whose only goal is to topple them.
Being in the footsteps of saints while here on Earth isn't such a bad thing after all. What they had to endure while here on earth boggles the mind.

 

[Davidnic]

Well there are also really expressions of I support you but you are doing it wrong. Because often that happens.

 

[LoAmmi]

Well there are also really expressions of I support you but you are doing it wrong. Because often that happens.

I support liberal ideas but think people who shout down conservatives are wrong, as an example.

 

[Davidnic]

I support liberal ideas but think people who shout down conservatives are wrong, as an example.

yep. This came up in the planned parenthood thread (not by name, by name it came up back in Oct last year I think). And in the sex abuse thread (again not by name).

Just because someone can empathize and see how behavior looks to the other side and neutral parties does not mean that they are a spy, mole or troll. Sometimes people use this, just like the Godwin rule, to ignore actual points.

There is a danger in these broad (and often logically fallacious) internet labels. Sometimes they serve just to build an echo chamber and groupthink. People just yell..Godwin's Law....Concern Troll..ect. And use it as a way to immediately discount uncomfortable truths.

So we can not forget that much good comes from looking at how something is seen outside of the closed room by those looking in. We need to be careful of that.

 

[LoAmmi]

There is a danger in these broad (and often logically fallacious) internet labels. Sometimes they serve just to build an echo chamber and groupthink. People just yell..Godwin's Law....Concern Troll..ect. And use it as a way to immediately discount uncomfortable truths.

Which, honestly, isn't that much different than yelling racist or sexist or whatever at someone to shut them down.

 

[Davidnic]

Which, honestly, isn't that much different than yelling racist or sexist or whatever at someone to shut them down.

Yep. It is just a way to quick paint over a point you would rather not address. I guess you could call it the Label Troll. But then you do have to be on the lookout for actual racism and sexism. So it is all about judgement. Which is often really quickly done on the internet.

 

[pdudgeon]

I support liberal ideas but think people who shout down conservatives are wrong, as an example.