What Are Trolls Looking For

Junia

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Some people get enjoyment out of attacking and even hurting others out there. It is their life style. Sometime maybe look over vids on Narcissistic Personality Disorder as in the Surviving Narcissism You Tube channel by a Christian psychologist.

NPD is way common. Many psychologists, for example, feel it is the usual factor in domestic abuse. If you watch any of those vids you will be sure to see some you know and learn how to spot and avoid them.

The research I have seen is that brain scans show they have poor development in the empathy cortex area of the brain. This is very sad for no medicine or therapy can heal that. In fact they almost never improve but seem to get worse with age.

They are not just mean, bullying and controlling, but are often flat out sadistic.

Sociopaths and psychopaths have a more extreme version of the problem.

The above posters are so right when they say Don't Feed The Trolls. Pray for them and their intended victims in life (which would include most anyone where they think they can get away with it), maybe report them, and move on.


NPD is usually a form of complex trauma. So it results from something like neglect, abuse, poor attachment to a parent or caregiver. It takes a lot of healing for them to heal and change.

best not to engage with online trolls.

Don't spend time with contention angry people. I believe the book of Proverbs deals with this
 
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lsume

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I don't fully understand trolls. You can make a completely innocent comment on a YouTube video (nothing controversial and nothing disagreeable), but some people have a problem with what you said. For example, I make an innocent comment about my favorite part of a video on YouTube and someone angrily says "who cares what you think, or nobody asked you." I am not even talking to them, I am talking to the person who created the video. Then they attack other users who make innocent comments. One commenter would say, "that was funny." Then the troll would say very angrily, "that was not funny you idiot!" When the video was a comedy and supposed to be funny. Then they try to start a fight with you.

What are they looking for? Why do they attack innocent commenters that are innocently commenting and not trying to start a fight?
Sounds more like a cyber bully if that’s a thing. Being a bully with anonymity may unfortunately be pleasing to some.
 
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ReesePiece23

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Misery loves company. They aren't happy and want to bring everyone else down also.

This is what I'd go with.

That and boredom - sometimes UNLIMITED boredom. If you're keeping busy and living your best life, the last thing on your to-do list is "snap at random people on YouTube for no apparent reason."
 
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Wings like Eagles

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In the cyber world they do the bidding of the Enemy, create chaos, confusion, anxiety.
Some trolls, deceitfully try to make you question your own belief, values, thinking or morality.......they work for the deceiver, the author of confusion.
 
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Wings like Eagles

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Please forgive me, I do not articulate my words as good as some others, below is an example of my point:

Genesis 3:3-5
New King James Version

3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
 
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ReesePiece23

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Please forgive me, I do not articulate my works as good as some others, below is an example of my point:

Genesis 3:3-5
New King James Version

3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

I think your point was well made, it made me think of the "simp" culture - a group of guys who'll go around and label men as "simps" just for expressing even the slightest fleck of affection for a woman.

What will this do to a young man's mind? It's probably going to put him off even wanting to express himself again out of fear of being a "simp".

An initially funny term, it now causing untold damage.
 
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Johan_1988

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I know you get terrible people in the YouTube comments. They even criticize content heavily they paid nothing for to watch. I really feel sorry for some content creators who get bashed in the comment section for a simple mistake, even if there not Christians, then you make a comment then you will see the rage and even if its not controversial they still go at you. There are good and bad people here on earth so we just have to accept it, but do not let that make you afraid to say what's you're opinion.
 
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Gregory Thompson

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I don't fully understand trolls. You can make a completely innocent comment on a YouTube video (nothing controversial and nothing disagreeable), but some people have a problem with what you said. For example, I make an innocent comment about my favorite part of a video on YouTube and someone angrily says "who cares what you think, or nobody asked you." I am not even talking to them, I am talking to the person who created the video. Then they attack other users who make innocent comments. One commenter would say, "that was funny." Then the troll would say very angrily, "that was not funny you idiot!" When the video was a comedy and supposed to be funny. Then they try to start a fight with you.

What are they looking for? Why do they attack innocent commenters that are innocently commenting and not trying to start a fight?
most of them are 10 year olds pretending to be adults and teenagers who stole pictures from elsewhere on the internet.

They just want a reaction.
 
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Jonathan Walkerin

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If you're keeping busy and living your best life, the last thing on your to-do list is "snap at random people on YouTube for no apparent reason."

Probably someone living his best life would not be posting on internet forums hoping some random reader agreed with him either.
 
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Jaxxi

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I don't fully understand trolls. You can make a completely innocent comment on a YouTube video (nothing controversial and nothing disagreeable), but some people have a problem with what you said. For example, I make an innocent comment about my favorite part of a video on YouTube and someone angrily says "who cares what you think, or nobody asked you." I am not even talking to them, I am talking to the person who created the video. Then they attack other users who make innocent comments. One commenter would say, "that was funny." Then the troll would say very angrily, "that was not funny you idiot!" When the video was a comedy and supposed to be funny. Then they try to start a fight with you.

What are they looking for? Why do they attack innocent commenters that are innocently commenting and not trying to start a fight?
Or if you ask a question that you do not know the answer to, they assume that you are bias one way or another and attack you!! How can someone judge a persons character for asking a question that they would like to get the opinion from other Christians on? Why not just answer the question? I feel like a true Christian is mindful with respect to other Christians in their answers, and any personal attacks or rudeness come from the enemy himself because a loving Christian is not out to make you feel bad in any way.
 
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Blade

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Could be a number of reasons as to why some post negative or always happy lol Theres this preacher that has live videos allot and I noticed over time how if someone does not post it nice enough or just the right way "just ignore them their a troll". What got me was...it was just a different way of thinking.. or they didn't agree. Lol NO I don't get called a troll.

Youtube is like this safe space where you can be no body and say what you want. You tend to see people for what they really are. I hardly ever use that word. For me its hard to judge what someone is really doing by a few lines of text. If I don't like it lol.. skip it move on.

Wanted to add. .. another truth is "Christ" followers can be some of the most... hmm negative. :)
 
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Hrairoo

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That is true, @Blade . We have to define what exactly a troll is because it's not just confrontation or opposition.

Oxford Dictionary states: a person who makes a deliberately offensive or provocative online post with the aim of upsetting someone or eliciting an angry response from them.

It assumes a lot of motivation on the part of whoever is posting to you but I think the basic examples given in this thread are pretty clear on intent. If you post something in a regular manner, not being angry, then someone posting to you a bad word or calling you a name, there is a safe bet that they're looking merely to agitate.

You can either take the stance that rudeness online is never justified(they're just words; if opinions make you angry enough to curse at people and lose your own dignity, then maybe go do something else) or there is a certain line where someone is acting consistently unreasonable for a particular situation or conversation. Like, maybe one angered, blustery comment is understood as passion, but if the person continues to converse with a ridiculous amount of heightened emotion and insults, then they're no longer given the benefit of the doubt.

I've personally encountered people who post nonsense in a topic to derail the conversation or confuse the other members. I've debated with someone who kept circling a point until it became clear to me that they didn't truly believe or support what they were posting. They were just saying stuff to keep me going. These would count as trolling also but aren't necessarily a "one response and you know" type of encounter.
 
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Introverted1293

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Probably someone living his best life would not be posting on internet forums hoping some random reader agreed with him either.

OK

Well, as negative as you are, I did learn something from you. All we can do is offer up opinions. I guess me asking what are trolls looking for was kind of stupid. How are people supposed to know? Ultimately, people who say that they are just looking for attention are just offering their opinions and really haven't proved anything. I get that now. In fact, we can't prove exactly what is in their hearts. Just like you can't prove that people come on here and are just looking for people to agree with them. You have an opinion about what people are trying to do when they ask questions. But you can't prove that is what they are trying to do.

But I still appreciate everyone else's advice. It was still helpful. And I even appreciate those with opposing views.

But I don't think that people who make simple comments on videos that say, "Nice Video," or "Very funny video," are simply looking for attention. Of course that is just my opinion without proof as well. But the reason why I believe that is because none of those simple comments are screaming give me attention. They are actually trying to be an encourager to the author of the video. If they simply wanted a reaction, I am sure that they would give some kind of long post or they are going to make jokes or something. So, even though you called people hypocrites, in your opinion, I disagree with you. But for some reason, you have nasty people come on there and start being nasty over a simple "Nice Video" comment. I, of course, am not talking about people who disagree with others on a forum. I am not talking about people who have strong opinion and express that in response to a thread that they disagree with. I have written threads about racism and many have strongly disagreed with me, which was expected, but I was trying to understand their opinion so that I can learn. Maybe there is a little attention seeking, but that is not the main goal. It was to learn. For example, when I am in school, I may need the teachers attention because I need help with math problems that I can't understand. Was the goal simply to try to get attention, or was the goal to learn the math problem that I need to learn to graduate?

So, what I was wondering, is what is the goal of people who have to make nasty comments on a simple comment? But the truth of the matter is that all we can do is offer opinions. I can try to ask a troll, but I don't think they want to dialogue.
 
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Introverted1293

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Thank you everyone for offering up your advice. But I did learn that you can still learn a lot from negative people, even when they mean to offend you.
 
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Introverted1293

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OK

Well, as negative as you are, I did learn something from you. All we can do is offer up opinions. I guess me asking what are trolls looking for was kind of stupid. How are people supposed to know? Ultimately, people who say that they are just looking for attention are just offering their opinions and really haven't proved anything. I get that now. In fact, we can't prove exactly what is in their hearts. Just like you can't prove that people come on here and are just looking for people to agree with them. You have an opinion about what people are trying to do when they ask questions. But you can't prove that is what they are trying to do.

But I still appreciate everyone else's advice. It was still helpful. And I even appreciate those with opposing views.

But I don't think that people who make simple comments on videos that say, "Nice Video," or "Very funny video," are simply looking for attention. Of course that is just my opinion without proof as well. But the reason why I believe that is because none of those simple comments are screaming give me attention. They are actually trying to be an encourager to the author of the video. If they simply wanted a reaction, I am sure that they would give some kind of long post or they are going to make jokes or something. So, even though you called people hypocrites, in your opinion, I disagree with you. But for some reason, you have nasty people come on there and start being nasty over a simple "Nice Video" comment. I, of course, am not talking about people who disagree with others on a forum. I am not talking about people who have strong opinion and express that in response to a thread that they disagree with. I have written threads about racism and many have strongly disagreed with me, which was expected, but I was trying to understand their opinion so that I can learn. Maybe there is a little attention seeking, but that is not the main goal. It was to learn. For example, when I am in school, I may need the teachers attention because I need help with math problems that I can't understand. Was the goal simply to try to get attention, or was the goal to learn the math problem that I need to learn to graduate?

So, what I was wondering, is what is the goal of people who have to make nasty comments on a simple comment? But the truth of the matter is that all we can do is offer opinions. I can try to ask a troll, but I don't think they want to dialogue.

Everyone's opinion is still appreciated. I still appreciate it.
 
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Introverted1293

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most of them are 10 year olds pretending to be adults and teenagers who stole pictures from elsewhere on the internet.

They just want a reaction.

Yeah, that is my opinion too. I mean, they want a negative reaction.

If they just disagreed, I can respect their opinions. I saw a comment where someone said, "the keyboarder is really good." And then someone responds to that comment by saying, "this comment shows how stupid people are." I am wondering what point are they making?
 
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