What is it that drives people to be trolls?

Question

Is there some twisted joy some get out of taunting anonymous strangers?

Does it make them feel big?

Do they get their jollies by putting others down?

I think it's a mental illness that drives them but I'm not sure.

If you want to see what I'm talking about, look at the obsessed freaks at the Yahoo Gun Control site. There are numerous posts and numerous ID's to harass one poster but I think it's the same guy using multiple accounts. Do you think this "man" is mentally ill?

http://messages.yahoo.com/Cultures_&_Community/Issues_and_Causes/Current_Events/US%255FNews/messagesview?bn=7088116-guncontroldebate&vmode=1

The poster I am referring to uses "toms.anidiot" among others but you will quickly see which ID's "he" uses. The insane hatred shows through in every post.

Answer 1

Things that drive people to be trolls

1. Boredom - some people are just bored and feel like spending a day or two by just joking around or trying to make people mad on a forum or message board, these types do not really want much but attention and will not see much rude stuff, just stupid middle school things. These are the attention trolls and not really bad people.

2. No Life (Lack of social life) - these trolls are the type to say some REALLY controversial things, from insulting America to insulting another person to the point they attack their race to get reactions (calling someone the N word and talking about slavery and their ancestors just so they can get some reactions). These trolls are EXTREMELY bad people, these are the type that would bomb down a building if they ever got a chance or would kill people if they could get away with it. These trolls will stop at nothing to share their sick thoughts and flawed/corrupt logic with others and insult others to the point they will EVEN insult your family member to your dieing mother just so people can give them attention. Not only do these type of trolls need to be banned from the internet but they just need to be killed as well. Also, when banned these trolls come back with multiple accounts. These trolls usually have had a dark past and live a bad life.

3. Grudge - these trolls can range from really bad people to people that you can understand and help. Some can post racial things that may make them sound like idiots but they are not aware of it, but when informed they can nice people and become real cool regs. These trolls are the type people wish for if they ever had to deal with a troll.

4. Alts - these are the trolls that are probably an alternative account of another reg on a board, they only troll/flame a person that the reg has had problems with.

5. Hatred- next to the no lifers and the controversials, these are the worst type of trolls to deal with. These trolls stick to a certain point of view and certain belief which is often difficult to change, these trolls may believe that for example "Blacks are inferior than whites", no matter what you tell them, those trolls will still stick to the belief and you cannot change it, a lot of their beliefs are stupid but those trolls just want others to agree with them and are too stubborn to accept the fact they are wrong, if you tell them they are wrong, they will continuously attack you on the boards.

6. Superiority feeling - trolls that are driven by these are often found on topics which require debate skills. These trolls will do a lot to prove to others they are smart and will usually call others names just to make themselves sound superior. These trolls also attack a lot of things people on the topic maybe showing a liking towards, for example, everyone in the topic likes Jay-Z and are discussing how good he is, this type of Trolls referred to as the cocky troll will come into the topic and display a STRONG hatred for Jay-Z just to stand out in front of others and get attention but at the same time try and sound smart.

Best ways to get rid of trolls:

1. Ignore them - do not give them attention and you will make them sound like a standing fool.

2. Group attack - if you and other members on the board dislike the troll, jump him, that is NOT what he wants contrary to popular belief, he just likes to go one on one, if there are about 5 people attacking him, the troll will make hate speeches about the board and leave

3. Moderators - the number 1 job of all moderators is to get rid of trolls, report the troll to the mod and the mod will ban him/her.  

Answer 2

I think they're bully wannabes with low self-esteem who don't have the guts to be mean to people's faces, so they go online where they can be anonymous.

Answer 3

Ive met people who I thought were so nice and then found out that their main hobby at night was to troll the internet and flame people. They come from all walks of life but mainly young single men with nothing much to do at night.

They enjoy stirring people up. You have two choices- you either let yourself get upset by their comments, or you do what I do- treat them like the ten-year-old boys theyre being and ignore them.

Answer 4

sad people with nothing much to live for..

Answer 5

lol they ducks