Why have a battle of wits, with an unarmed person?

Question

Do you waste your time arguing with people who are just trying to wind everyone up? Do you think trolls ever change or learn? Or do you save your discussion for those who actually want one? :-)

Answer 1

Excellent point.

Sometimes I entertain their ridiculous questions but I lean more towards saving my discussions for those who want one.

Cheers&Peace

Answer 2

Well, isn't that what your doing right now? By asking this question you are ACKNOWLEGING the trolls and giving them exactly what they want.... attention.

Soooo....

Answer 3

The joke is on you. You think you are winning. Census figures in the US tells a different story. The numbers of Cohabitating adults tells another story. There are now more Single than Married Women in the US for the first time. US Census data reveals a huge increase in marriages between US Men and Foreign Women. How bad is it? Feminists in Canada have written a White Paper on the growing backlash to Feminism by US Men.

We are nearing a tipping point. While US Feminists whine about Fat Princess video games. A 7 year old Afghan girl was married to an 11 year old Boy. The Father of a 25 year old Pakistani American Girl is interviewed in the NY Post and believes he has sincerely followed God's Law by killing his Daughter in Georgia for the Honor of the Family. A Muslim Women in Portland Oregon has requested a Woman's only period for use of Public Swimming Pools to conform to Sharia, (Islamic Law). Two Women were executed by the Taliban for Un Islamic Sexual behavior.

In Norway the Nation's Islamic Council has requested a Fatwa for the Execution of g**s and Lesbians from the European Islamic Council. You keep making stupid idiot questions. While g**s are killed for honor killings in Turkey. In Iraq etc. While Honor Killings of Teenage Girls happen in Dallas Texas and are ignored by the major Feminist Portals.

On Jezebel like the Airhead Fembots here they insult Marc Rudov. While never addressing the substance of the issues he raises. Men are indifferent to your insults. You mean nothing to us anymore. We don't care what happens to you.  

Answer 4

Wow, there are a couple of confused and very angry men who answered your question. Do they follow you around and write this c**p down? The more I think about what they have written to reply to you, the more I think they are psychopathic. Wow, wow, wow!

Answer 5

I am new to this area on Yahoo Answers.  I am unsure who is a troll, who is asking serious questions, who are pretenders and who just like to rouse the masses.  I do not know who wants an actual discussion and who simply enjoys being rude and putting others down for whatever motivation they have.

Answer 6

Nothing sways the stupid more than arguments they can't understand.

- Cardinal De Retz

It is better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

- Mark Twain

He was distinguished for ignorance - for he had only one idea and that was wrong.

- Benjamin Disraeli

Sometimes I waste my time because I was too upset at the question or statement to realize that they were a troll and I was just wasting words to feed them.

Answer 7

95 percent of my responses are to people who really want a discussion

or a solution.  The other five percent are questions that have to be addressed so I can have my own catharsis.  Sometimes I want to crack a joke. Sometimes I want others to see the flaw in the other person's reasoning even if they themselves won't acknowledge it.  You are absolutely right though. Feeding the trolls and rabble-rousers only serves to bring your best answer percentage down.  

Answer 8

The snarky part of me wants to agree with you wholeheartedly. After all, though uneducated people may learn, the definition of a troll is that they have no interest in being educated, right?

But, in these uneven battle of wits, sometimes there are innocent bystanders who stumble across forums out of curiosity or genuine interest and are able to share or learn something in the process.

So maybe some good can come out of seemingly pointless discussions.

Answer 9

Sometimes it's fun to see someone whose entire reason for being is to insult others, get upset when someone turns the tables. They can dish it, but they can't take it. It's hilarious.

Is it "trolling the trolls?" Maybe...but it's just too fun to see them throw their hissy fits!

Conversely, I'm always respectful to those that ARE respectful, even if I disagree with them. There is world of difference between those that are here to challenge ideas, and those that are here to insult.  

Answer 10

Yes.  I usually skip over those questions.  As the Bible say, don't throw pearls before swine.  I always get a bunch of thumbs down when I say that, but it's true.  Trolls get a perverse pleasure by thinking that they have irritated someone.  My favorite bad question is one that starts out... Ladies (feminists) would you be offended if..."

Why would I read something that might offend me?  It's so hard not to write the word idiot when I come to this section.  

Answer 11

That's why I don't take Ronnie's questions seriously, and why I try to go easy on my little brain damaged stalker. It can't help its illness.

Answer 12

When studying education I discovered that emotionally deprived children prefer negative attention to no attention at all.  These same people grow up and grasp for any tiny bit of recognition.  Sad that some people are that isolated and lonely they can only depend on internet interactions.

Answer 13

Sometimes I just need to vent- but most of them I really try to ignore.   Life is too short- you hope time will change them.  

Answer 14

Lol, oh that's funny!  You made me laugh-an unarmed person. :)

Answer 15

Because that makes them easier to beat. (smirk)