Language and Propaganda - an example

@ossobucotemp,

ossobucotemp wrote:

I talked early with him in pms at length. I feel like a ******* fool for being positive.

Postive about what, Jo? And why foolish?

@layman,

layman wrote:

maporsche wrote:

Wikipedia - Internet Troll wrote:

In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal, on-topic discussion, often for the troll's amusement.

A pretty recent example of 'trolling' behavior (someone starting arguments or upsetting people by posting inflammatory messages with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response) can be found here:
http://able2know.org/topic/354870-1

Have you even read that thread you cited? There's a lot of philosophical discussion in it that might interest some people.

This definition of "troll" is quite compounded and ambiguous. Is "starting an argument" (which seems to be what most every thread here is designed to do) being a "troll?" Or are you only a troll if some cheese-eater claims to be "upset?"

Layman, I'm going to need you to read the full description of what a troll is. It's just one sentence, although I understand it has a lot of words and commas. I've attempted to color code the 3 important bits that define exactly what a troll is (and I even removed the parenthesis). I hope that makes sense. Although, I'm surprised it was difficult for you...these types of questions are all over IQ tests.

In Internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal, on-topic discussion, often for the troll's amusement.

2 Replies

@maporsche,

Quote:

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” (Marcus Aurelius)

Know what I'm sayin?

=====

I added these questions to my original post, but you may have missed them unless you went back to re-read it.

Is this some kind of popularity contest, that it?

What is "normal discussion" and how is it "disrupted?"

2 Replies

@layman,

good question; I failed to memorize.

0 Replies

@layman,

layman wrote:

Quote:
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself but to your own estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” (Marcus Aurelius)

Know what I'm sayin?

I know exactly what you're saying.

I have much admiration for stoicism and a soft spot in my heart for quippy quotes.

I'm not sure how it relates exactly to the post you replied to, but no worries.

2 Replies

@maporsche,

I guess I need to post this for a third time now:

I added these questions to my original post, but you may have missed them unless you went back to re-read it.

Is this some kind of popularity contest, that it?

What is "normal discussion" and how is it "disrupted?"

1 Reply

@layman,

You do tend to leap, one of my digs against you.

1 Reply

@maporsche,

maporsche wrote:

I know exactly what you're saying.

I have much admiration for stoicism and a soft spot in my heart for quippy quotes.

Good, we may have more in common than I thought.

I'm not sure how it relates exactly to the post you replied to, but no worries.

There may be no exact relation, but I'll say this:

Just because there is "offense taken," that does not mean that offense was "given." See the connection?

0 Replies

@ossobucotemp,

ossobucotemp wrote:

You do tend to leap, one of my digs against you.

"Leap," Jo? How do you mean?

0 Replies

@layman,

layman wrote:

What is "normal discussion" and how is it "disrupted?"

Are you pretending that you don't know how to start an argument or go off topic?

Normal discussion:
Tom) I think this about a topic. Here is why I think that. I'm interested in debating this topic. Any other opinions out there?

Tim) I understand why you think that way. I come from a different perspective and I think this. Here is some evidence that supports my viewpoint. I'm interested in seeing if you have any counter-evidence. Let's discuss some more.

layman) You both are a bunch of candy-ass cheese-eaters.

Tim) That's not very nice

Tom) I'm not a candy-ass cheese-eater! Why don't you crawl into a hole and let us get back to our discussion?

layman) Hahahahahaha, you candy-ass cheese-eaters are a bunch of cheese eating candy-asses.

Tim) continuing argument with laymen
Tom) continuing to argue with laymen
layman) candy-ass candy-assers, etc, etc
...and repeat

Notice how no one is talking about the topic anymore and things deride into personal insults?

1 Reply

@maporsche,

Heh, well that's a real cheese-eatin post, sho nuff.

1 Reply

@layman,

layman wrote:

Heh, well that's a real cheese-eatin post, sho nuff.

And sho nuff, we have a poster exhibiting troll-like behavior.

1 Reply

@maporsche,

Ya know...the more "serious," earnest, and "proper" a person tries to act, the more he smashes his own sense of humor. It's not a pleasant thing, to be humorless, in my book. But some people seem to love it. To each his own.

“And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once. And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh.” (Fred Nietzsche)

0 Replies

@maporsche,

Maybe you can school me by looking at an example, eh?

Suppose I say, for example: "I don't approve of homosexuality."

Would that be a "troll?"

1 Reply

@layman,

layman wrote:

Maybe you can school me by looking at an example, eh?

Suppose I say, for example: "I don't approve of homosexuality."

Would that be a "troll?"

No.

1 Reply

@maporsche,

Well, ya know, there is a (probably small) group of people who go virtually wild with outrage at such statements. Are they "trolls?"

1 Reply

@layman,

layman wrote:

Well, ya know, there is a (probably small) group of people who go virtually wild with outrage at such statements. Are they "trolls?"

If they reply to your post in a way that meets the pretty basic criteria below, then yes.

In Internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community with the intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal, on-topic discussion, often for the troll's amusement.

2 Replies

@maporsche,

Ya think it could be "trolling" to accuse someone of being a "troll?"

2 Replies

@maporsche,

Would any of these statements be "trolling?"

1. You're a racist.

2. You're a homophobe

3. You're an islamophobe

4. You're a white nationalist

0 Replies

Well, I aint gittin much schoolin here on this whole "troll" thing, so I took at look at wiki. One of the first things it says is:

"Application of the term troll is subjective. Some readers may characterize a post as trolling, while others may regard the same post as a legitimate contribution to the discussion, even if controversial."

What's up with that?

0 Replies

Language and Propaganda - an example

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know