Forgive me good readers, for not following up on any of these forums until now. I didn't consider, when cross-posting that I may actually have to defend myself in the ensuing discussions. This is my blanket reply to everyone. It will be my final cross-post. If anyone would like to rebuke me further I'll be at Gearslutz, 'cos that's where the bulk of the replies have originated. Thank you. Now for my reply...
I occasionally wonder about the individuals responsible for inflamatory posts and the threads spawned thereof. The eggers-on. That somebody would invest so much time and energy into rousing rabble astounds me. I mean, how petty and unproductive an occupation can there *be*?
Then again, I don't really give the matter *too* much though because, frankly, I'm not a heavy usenet/forum poster. Besides, long debates make my head spin. Couple that with the fact that I'm a slower writer than I am a reader and it becomes most impractical for me to pound away at the nets all day. I don't get involved in OTDs. It's just never been my thang. I'm going somewhere with this, really.
Getting back to the trolls, just What makes them tick? Well, through my recent posting experience I have gained valuable insight to the psyche of the troll and I feel that I'm now in the position to comment. Broken down into his most basic elements (I use the masculine only as a linguistic convenience) the troll is thoroughly bored, possibly lonely, somewhat pathetic, and looking for attention. I say this with absolute certainty because those were four accurate descriptors of my state when I posted my own inflammatory remarks on Friday afternoon. Of course the key element at play here is attention, and I can now tell you first hand that getting a rise out of dozens upon dozens of people, for whatever reason, brings with it a *huge* rush which feels *incredibly* gratifying. I speculate that if three of the conditions (boredom, loneliness, pathos) do not change, the troll will feed off any attention directed his way and continue trolling indefinitely.
If you've ever suggested to a troll that he has too much time on his hands or commented on his pitiful state of existence you would have been correct. However, If you have ever wanted to *know* the troll, to *understand* him... then know me, for I have joined their ranks. (Some of you might rephrase that to "sunk to their depths". Hey, It's all good).
It just so happens that last week all the conditions were right for me to engage in this decidedly trollish behavior:
I practically hadn't left the house in over a week and a half due to an injury I sustained last Monday (Front wheel popped off my bicycle and the resulting wipe-out saw me tear some ligaments in my right shoulder [I'm a righty], bruise a few ribs, pinch a nerve in my back and accrue a general assortment of scrapes and bruises. No, I didn't hit my head. Yes, I'm a lot better now, thank you very much) and I was arguably the most bored, lonely and pathetic that I've ever been. Add to this the fact that I *do* rather get a kick out of crafting diatribes (they're a real treat, y'know, because how often do I get worked up enough about something to muster up the gumption to trash it in writing? Not too often) and I was powerless to resist. I *really* needed something to do. And I found it.
As most of us well know, there can be drawn a clear distinction between an idea and its presentation. Sitting here now I can think of ten ways that I could have approached the issue. At the time, however, I was fueled by some understandably negative energy which lent a decidedly, over-the-top, mean-spirited tone to my letter. This is not to say that the matter doesn't concern me - because it does - only that the manner in which I handled it was grossly overblown. I mean, *boy* did I pick a roundabout way of saying "hey, guys, does this seem as tasteless to you as it does to me? In short I recant the delivery but my initial concern stands.
Unfortunately for me, even though *I* know that my personality type is polar opposite of an antagonist, the burden of redeeming my name is now on my shoulders, alone, because I post on these boards so infrequently that I've got nobody to back me up.
Live and learn.
Piyono
