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No matter what kind of media you consume or fandom you\u2019re in, one thing stays constant: the presence of internet trolls. They\u2019re a menace to everyone around them (except other trolls) and ruin the camaraderie and enjoyment of the media. You might wonder what makes them tick, why they do what they do, and what you can do to keep them from ruining your day.<\/p>\n

Well then, you\u2019ve come to the right article! I\u2019ll be explaining what internet trolls are and what to do when encountering one.<\/p>\n

How to Identify an Internet Troll<\/h2>\n

On the surface, trolls are generally easy to spot. They\u2019re rude, aggressive, and love stirring up drama or scandal. They feel that they are always right, even when there\u2019s no evidence to back up their claims. You\u2019ll see them goading emotional statements from others and reveling in them.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Many researchers have found some common traits they found among internet trolls. Earlier studies identified a \u2018Dark Triad\u2018 of characteristics:<\/p>\n

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• Machiavellianism: the tendency to manipulate situations and words to gain power<\/li>\n
• Narcissism: self-centeredness resulting in a lack of empathy for others and hypersensitivity to criticism<\/li>\n
• Psychopathy: apathy and a lack of morality, making them prone to exploitative, manipulative, and dishonest behavior<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  These three traits make it easy for a person to hurt others. They might even do so gleefully, as their qualities say they\u2019re always right and the other person deserves it. It gives them a rush of happy feelings, rewarding them for their behavior and perpetuating the cycle of hurt.<\/p>\n

  Further research figured out another factor that affects trolling behavior. It\u2019s called Schadenfreude (pronounced shaa\u00b7duhn\u00b7froy\u00b7duh), the tendency to think other people\u2019s suffering is funny. In German, that\u2019s \u2018harm\u2019 and \u2018joy\u2019 put together.<\/p>\n

  By combining that with the Dark Triad characteristics, you get a person who would harm another and laugh at the victim\u2019s misery.<\/p>\n

  Later, more researchers studied the phenomenon and added a new characteristic they found, making the triad a Dark Tetrad:<\/p>\n

  \n
  • Sadism: the enjoyment of causing or inflicting pain onto others<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Now, having these traits doesn\u2019t mean you instantly become an internet troll. These only prove the likelihood that you can become one. Everybody falls into the spectrum somewhere, but the closer you get to these traits, the higher the possibility of becoming a troll.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d like to add one last characteristic that can affect trolling. While I\u2019m no psychologist (I did study it for college, but that\u2019s all) or researcher, you can verify it yourself when observing toxic people.<\/p>\n

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    • A deep sense of entitlement: \u201cI deserve [a good thing] because I want it,\u201d whether or not it actually is deserved<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      I see this most often in gaming communities, especially free-to-play games. If you\u2019re an F2P player, who the hell are you to ask for better rewards like you deserve it? Why do you cry and whine that the paying players get all the cool stuff?<\/p>\n

      While it doesn\u2019t seem malicious at first, it still hurts when someone doesn\u2019t enjoy something you created. Imagine making something you love, pouring your time and effort into it, then someone comes along saying it\u2019s trash. Then that person will say they like it if you give them a reward. In other words, it\u2019s like they were holding their enjoyment of the creation hostage for a price.<\/p>\n

      It\u2019s a threat, in the simplest sense. It should be ineffective as the developers have the right to do what they want with their game. They want people to enjoy the game, but there will be some detractors since they can\u2019t absolutely please everybody. That\u2019s normal.<\/p>\n

      What isn\u2019t is players who actually enjoy the game giving a bad rating and demanding rewards just because the ones being offered were \u201ctoo little.\u201d That\u2019s dishonesty, one of the identifying markers of trolls. There\u2019s a more proper way to provide feedback and opinions. Why not use that?<\/p>\n

      Other examples are those who ask for free commissions from artists and insist on paying with \u201cincreased exposure.\u201d Along with that, art stealers and re-posters are in this category. How would you feel when you create something beautiful only to get no compensation and have recognition go to the wrong person? The artist spent hours\/days\/weeks to make that, and these trolls trample on that effort.<\/p>\n

      Is it any wonder why artists and creators are overprotective? Why do many of them (maybe even more than you think) have low self-esteem? Remember the essential traits of trolls:<\/p>\n

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      • Lacks empathy<\/li>\n
      • Thinks they\u2019re always right despite evidence<\/li>\n
      • Likes hurting people and provoking them<\/li>\n
      • Thrives off suffering<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        They\u2019re the perfect agent to instill negative emotions into others. When these feelings build up over time with no release, it bursts into a tragedy, and it\u2019s not exclusive to creators. Anybody is susceptible to that.<\/p>\n

        What to Do When Encountering Trolls<\/h2>\n

        Here\u2019s what you can do to head off trolls or cut their enjoyment. Different methods work for different kinds of trolls, so pick what you\u2019re comfortable with.<\/p>\n

        1. Do Not Engage<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Ignoring a troll means they don\u2019t get to see your reaction. Since they don\u2019t see you getting angry, they don\u2019t get the reward of an emotional response. You\u2019ll have kept them from having their fun. Be strong because trolls are masters at the art of provocation. They know how to get under your skin to get the best results. This does not apply to art thieves, as those will continue the behavior if ignored.<\/p>\n

        2. Deflect With Humor<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Internet trolls want you to be mad, not to howl with laughter. You can turn their comments into a joke if you\u2019re the humorous type. The troll doesn\u2019t get their preferred reaction and could give up. Take care to keep the jokes within tasteful bounds, as it\u2019s easy to cross lines. That makes the joke loop back into being offensive that you might be the one accused of being a troll.<\/p>\n

        3. Be Patient and Kind<\/strong><\/p>\n

        This could be the most challenging method to keep trolls at bay. It\u2019s easier to give in to the impulse of reacting angrily. However, if you\u2019re kind to them, you can connect with them and eventually settle down with a normal conversation. An unexpected response often trips them up because they\u2019re used to responding to angry replies.<\/p>\n

        4. Calm Down Before Replying<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Somewhat tied to the above method, you should first take deep breaths and calm down. You\u2019ll be able to reply with something other than rage afterward. As mentioned above, anything other than anger can stop them in their tracks. They haven\u2019t learned how to respond to a calm, measured response or anything other than anger.<\/p>\n

        5. Call Their Bluff<\/strong><\/p>\n

        When arguing with a troll, their arguments are frequently illogical. Asking them for proof could stop them because there\u2019s none. They just want to make noise and have an angry debate, but this method keeps them from having one.<\/p>\n

        6. Report Them, Block Them, and Set Privacy Settings to Cut Them Off<\/strong><\/p>\n

        Most trolls live on social media sites. Blocking them, then setting your privacy options to be stricter about who can send you messages helps keep them at bay. Nothing\u2019s stopping them from making another account, but it is simple to block that new account again. Reporting them might keep them from creating a new account, but it depends on the platform.<\/p>\n

        As for creators and artists, send a like, kudos, or some encouraging words on their work. It does mean something to them if you leave something that shows you appreciate the time and effort they spent on their creation. This includes all kinds of media, from videos and games to art and fanfiction.<\/p>\n

        Some of these methods might apply to gaming, but trolls in-game usually take the form of scammers aiming at your in-game gold or items. They\u2019ll need a different set of methods, though usually, you can just ignore their offers of item\/gold duplication or suspicious trade requests. Chat trolls can be handled in the same way.<\/p>\n

        Conclusions<\/h2>\n

        Internet trolls are a part of daily internet life. We\u2019ve all encountered one, whether first or second-hand. The anonymity and lack of severe consequences could make them so prolific on the internet. After all, most of their behaviors are unacceptable in real life. That doesn\u2019t mean that they\u2019re socially legal on the internet, either. It\u2019s just harder to regulate people\u2019s actions through a screen.<\/p>\n

        Take care not to accuse people of being a troll willy-nilly. Some might just be unintentionally offensive or misunderstood. If it becomes a pattern, that\u2019s when you know they\u2019re a troll. Understanding their mistake and apologizing is usually a sign that they were not being intentionally hurtful.<\/p>\n

        Trolls may no longer live under bridges (no WiFi, you see), but you\u2019re now equipped and ready to face them. Have fun on the internet!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

        
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        Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        No matter what kind of media you consume or fandom you\u2019re in, one thing stays constant: the presence of internet trolls. They\u2019re a menace to everyone around them (except other trolls) and ruin the camaraderie and enjoyment of the media. You might wonder what makes them tick, why they do what they do, and what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":18305,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/secureservercdn.net\/45.40.146.38\/a2f.556.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Trolls.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-news"],"yoast_head":"\n