FUTURE SHOCK | For whom the trolls toll?
Digital trolls anonymity has made those without balls—and could hardly emit a squeak in actual life—into mighty lions roaring and prancing about the digital landscape jungle.
From the pages of The Manila Times
Online has made trolls a bunch of cowards hiding behind connections, a mouse and keyboard, and the screen monitor. Digital trolls anonymity has made those without balls—and could hardly emit a squeak in actual life—into mighty lions roaring and prancing about the digital landscape jungle. All because there is no accountability in the online world. Just being connected makes these people merciless and immensely nasty. Instead of being kind, they heckle and insult and hound. All because they can do it in the relative safety of their bedroom, toilet, or their parent’s basement where they have been living for the longest time, since they don’t have the social skills to get a job or maintain one.
Someone posts an opinion, a picture, or most recently a samurai sword master hacking a roll of Tatami at top speed: Comments such as “Fake…speeded up…What use is this skill in the real world… blah, blah, etc” If you really study this phenomenon you can actually pin point what the trolls are about. They see something that is interesting or a feat somebody does and they have to pull that person down by either trivializing the accomplishment by way of off-handed remarks or attacking them personally.
I have had the experiences of troll attacks that snowballed into cyber-bullying because of the sheer number of participants. Unlike other normal people, when I’m attacked I don’t’ ignore them. I relish the encounter and lash out with a counter attack. And I don’t back down. No matter how many they are. I stand my ground and I never stop ‘till they are reduced to nothing or I get their dismissive “you’re not worth my time, I’m outta here” reply.
Which is the closes thing to I GIVE UP these cowards could admit. Not worth their time… really? After spending hours and writing forty replies filled with insults and stupid arguments they realize suddenly ‘AM not worthy of their time. Because they are cowards and they don’t man up/woman up (yes, women can be as bad as man at playing trolls. Sexual equality right?) by admiting they lost. Not worth their time. But they had the time to attack your post.. your opinion.. your video upload.. yourpic. See cowards pick a fight very easily. It’s convenient online.
Yet, they don’t have the stomach for a long protracted engagement.
That’s where the real toughness comes in. Tough means standing your ground; this, despite the number of trolls and their ferocity. Tough is being as relentless and vicious as they are. MATIR A MATIBAY. In the end, they back down. Or find a more innocent victim to provoke. Typical bullies. I have fought off American and Filipino trolls.
They have distinct trolling behaviors. Americans start as a single troll. Then slowly build critical mass. Filipino trolls attack as a gang. They will send private messages to their buddies and then go in for the kill. Americans are purely independent, while Filipinos are gang-like and have a herd or hive identity. Filipino trolls are cowards by their lonesome but are fierce when they are a pack. If you examine carefully it’s not crab mentality in action. It’s
PIRANHA behavior. Piranha as a single fish does jackshit. But as a school, well, it’s entirely something else.
My personal motto is this:
When faced with an a**hole, be a bigger a**hole and out-a**hole the twerp! Good day to all.
From the pages of The Manila Times
