Troll defined was Re: [lbo-talk] Chomsky v Marko

boddi satva lbo.boddi at gmail.com
Sun Nov 20 22:28:00 PST 2005


I think "troll" clearly means "one who trolls" and as a happy coincidence it's a homonym for the mythological creature. Trolling is simply dragging a lure or baited hook (or hooks) behind your boat rather than casting out the lure or bait. So the idea is a person who simply drags inflamatory arguments through groups in order to get a rise out of people ("get a rise" being another fishing term).

There's a big diffrence between "trolling" and arguing of course. The hallmark of a troll is that he has no interest in the predominant questions and ideas the group discusses.

On 11/20/05, Kevin Robert Dean <Qualiall at adelphia.net> wrote:
> joanna wrote:
> > what's a troll?
> >
> > Joanna
> >
>
>
> From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
>
>
> In Internet terminology, a troll is a person who posts inflammatory
> messages on the internet, such as on online discussion forums, to
> disrupt discussion or to upset its participants. The word, or its
> derivative, "trolling", is also used to describe such messages or the
> act of posting them.
>
> Etymology
>
> The contemporary use of the term first appeared on Usenet groups in the
> late 1980s. It is widely thought to be a contraction of the phrase
> "trolling for suckers", itself derived from the sport fishing technique
> of trolling. The latter can be compared with trawling, of which it is a
> near homophone.
>
> The word likely gained currency because of its apt second meaning, drawn
> from the "trolls", which are portrayed in Scandinavian folklore, and
> children's tales, as often ugly, obnoxious creatures that are bent on
> wickedness and mischief. The image of the troll under the bridge in the
> "Three Billy Goats Gruff" emphasizes the trolls' dislike of outsiders
> within its physical environment, particularly those who intend to graze
> in its domain.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_troll
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>



More information about the lbo-talk mailing list