MISSION STATEMENT: What does trolling really mean?

[swarm]

This is a serious discussion. I mean this.

What does the word trolling mean? Everything I know about it I learned from this board and this is what I know about it so far...

*I used to think it meant thinking one thing vs. a group of other people who have the same opinion as a mod or mods is trolling. Example: Thinking TNA sucks. The Tommy Brownell theory if you must...

*Liking Umaga. There was a time liking Umaga and hating Samoa Joe was considered trolling. Apparently now that it has been proved Umaga rules and Joe is coming to the WWE after sucking in TNA, this is no longer trolling.

*Sticking up for Tom. Being loyal to Tom and this game has been considered trolling. Apparently, it still is.

*Being responsible for others feelings. This is the one I have the most problem with. Why was MFT doing a bootleg of Joe not trolling? Because Joe didn't freak out and PM or email Chris complaining about it? It was surely done to troll Joe...but it didn't work. So that basically means if you don't fall for it, it's ok. How does that make sense?

(and for the record MFT has been cool since for the most part, just using this an an example...past is past not trying to bring it back up so it's not personal.)

Why was spattercat quoting one of Payback's quotes and putting in his sig not trolling? It was cleary done to get a rise out of Payback but he didn't care. Had he cared would splattercat been banned for trolling? Is that how it works...it's only trolling when you cry about it? Or is is because the same rules never applied to Joe and Payback...?

We are all adults here...and i think getting "worked up" or "irked" or "upset" or however you want to put it because of someone else's opinion or actions is really self destructive. For all the crap I take I never complain. I never cry. I never whine. Same can be said for Payback, Havoc, Joe, neily and a bunch of others...

I mean...the people who cry foul have ALWAYS been the ones fueling the fire and keep going until they are one upped so bad they turn to complaining and tattle-tailing to Chris. That's not being the victim of "trolling"...that's being able to dish it out but not take it.

This weekend for example. Non-conners want spoilers. We say no. They complain. So we give them spoilers. They read them. They realize it's a ruse. They get all upset and start name calling, flaming and bothering Chris. Chris threatens to suspend half the board (Tom too? He was at GCON too ya know).

All because of this stupid word: trolling. You know what trolling equates to from all I've learned?

Trolling = I am an adult and I just let another adult on a paper card wrestling game get me so upset I need to bother the mods and get this bad person banned for putting me in the position to allow myself to have my feelings (which I control) be affected. Even though I have the CHOICE to read what I want, when I want (The Hegemony/Ingersoll theory).

So I ask...is trolling nothing more than a tool used to threaten members of this board?

Based on Chris' own theory...NO ONE IS MAKING YOU READ THE THINGS we, or I, or anyone posts.

So you had the CHOICE not to read our swerve...does that only apply to me and others? But not Chris, Wildfire, Holland etc...

Because a fun prank orchestrated by EVERYONE at the Con turning into Chris throwing out threats to ban half the board including lovable Jim Steel is where the line is drawn. I mean...that's insane.

I am very confused and I think we, as a community need to come together and bury this stupid word reserved for children's toys forever and as a whole, lighten the hell up.

This is open to everyone...very serious and is intended to bring this board together if at all possible. I feel bad for all the people at the Con for having to deal with these threats and for all the people with little or no control over their feelings, mouse buttons, and what they do or do not read on this board.

Hopefully we can fix this for both sides of the ball.

Swarm

[Thad Killian]

I believe trolling is when you go out with your friends and getting blasted...then you're friends hook you up with the the fugliest, most heavy set, and then watching you trying to wiggle free from under the cellulite bridge.....




;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[GOODZILLA]

Great post. This needed to be said.

Honestly I haven't seen much trolling on these boards in the last couple months. (Unless you count any of Havoc's posts ). Sure there are disagreements. Sure things can get a little heated sometimes. We all live in different parts of the country world, so our viewpoints are going to different. It's actually one of the things that makes this group so great.

People need to stop throwing around words like "trolling" or "personal attack." Does Curt complain when I tell everyone how gigantic his mom is? NO. Because he knows that I'm kidding and he can take a joke. I have no idea what Havoc's list means or if I should fear for my life for being at the top, but I haven't alerted Chris or the CIA or the Bushwackers or anyone else. Because I can understand the concept that this game is an escape from real life, and I use this board to escape the drama of reality, not add to it.

I don't think josharpie is a troll for liking the Cardinals. I don't think Wildfire is a troll for being upset about different posts on these boards. He is passionate about this game, just like we all are. I don't think MFT is a troll. I don't think any of the D-Town boys are trolls. Everyone I just listed has made many contributions to these boards over the years.

I do think steviedreamer is a troll.

The mods on this board have been doing a great job lately and its ridiculous that people feel the need to cry to them over spilled milk.

And lastly, I will never forgive myself for missing GCON again. Someone needs to kidnap me next year, throw me in their trunk and get my butt to Jamestown. Please.

[Chris Ingersoll]

Intentionally posting something for the sole purpose of getting an outraged reaction from the community (or a subgroup thereof, even down to one specific individual).

That's the only definition I use, but sometimes the distinction between actual trolling and being heavily opinionated aren't clear.

Example: Going into the TNA forum just to bash the product, its employees, or its fans is trolling. Offering valid criticism of the same is not.

Recent example: Posting fake spoilers serves no purpose but to provoke a reaction; hence, trolling.


However, the problem arises in that I am not omniscient; I can't read every thread or know about everything that goes on here. I rely on the community to monitor itself and alert me to actions that I might have overlooked or outright missed. This means that I'm only aware of problems when I either witness them myself or when someone complains about them (and I then have to investigate to see if my assessment matches that of the complaintant).

It's the old "squeaky wheel" adage in action, basically.

Also, there's an important difference here that needs to be addressed:

So you had the CHOICE not to read our swerve...does that only apply to me and others? But not Chris, Wildfire, Holland etc...

I no longer have the option to not read something once someone has complained about it. That's part of the job.

I feel bad for all the people at the Con for having to deal with these threats and for all the people with little or no control over their feelings, mouse buttons, and what they do or do not read on this board.

But you have no empathy for the people who had their emotions toyed with because of the people with little or no control over their impulses? Oh, right -- because you're one of those people with impulse control problems. Almost forgot who was bringing up this subject for a minute there.

[euritar]

To quote the King again "STRONG!" Wait, was that trolling, it doesn't matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Btw, that was for Swarm's post, just in case anyone was wondering, and if you weren't, then you weren't!

[dukedave]

bad2begood said:

Honestly I haven't seen much trolling on these boards in the last couple months. (Unless you count any of Havoc's posts ).

They really are must reads aren't they. ;D

BTW - Swarm, you had me until the Tom Cruise picture. Don't what the heck that was, troll.

[gatekeeper]

Chris, I have to disagree.

Posting fake spoilers for something that basically everyone is ordering and will be able to tell that it was a "work" in a matter of days is WAY different than going into a thread just to be a douchebag.

And you said it yourself, "the squeaky wheel" theory. You told me once that you would've banned somebody if I had wanted them to be banned.

But I said no because I didn't feel it was my place to have someone banned.

Plus, I'm a big boy and don't need to do stuff like that.

You have to be able to take jokes. That's all this was.

If you can't, you're gonna be real unhappy here and probably everywhere else in your life.

Jim Steel was in on it. C'mon people.

[Dragon Breath]

swarm said:

This weekend for example. Non-conners want spoilers. We say no. They complain. So we give them spoilers. They read them. They realize it's a ruse. They get all upset and start name calling, flaming and bothering Chris. Chris threatens to suspend half the board (Tom too? He was at GCON too ya know).

Hey! Don't lump all of us non-conners in the same group. Some of us just lurked and watched the meltdown with morbid fascination.

Heck, my Fed's in 2103. I got the CPC years (2105-2108) last week, and still haven't looked at them. I don't know anything about most of the names that you guys mentioned in the spoilers.

swarm said:

Because a fun prank orchestrated by EVERYONE at the Con turning into Chris throwing out threats to ban half the board including lovable Jim Steel is where the line is drawn. I mean...that's insane.

This is why what happened wasn't trolling. There was absolutely no malicious intent. No specific individuals were being targeted or provoked. This some members of the community ribbing other members of this community. Most of us not at the con understood this.

Like I said, I'm in 2103, but even I knew that a post with a +7 finisher included in the spoiler, followed by a post indicating that Jim was kicked out of PM2 had to be a work.

And anyone who knew that the "Spolier" was fake has no reason to be upset by it.

[Knapik]

Even Dragon Breath knew. C'mon

Seriously, Swarm said Vengeance's brain was put into a new body and Endgame had - 5 ag/pw and a +7 finisher. Seriously.

[dukedave]

knapik said:

Even Dragon Breath knew. C'mon

Seriously, Swarm said Vengeance's brain was put into a new body and Endgame had - 5 ag/pw and a +7 finisher. Seriously.

Don't forget the +7 was a Rolling Figure Four wrapped around the ring post. Someone explain that move to me?

[Aquinas]

swarm said:

dukedave said:

Don't forget the +7 was a Rolling Figure Four wrapped around the ring post. Someone explain that move to me?

I tried to make it funny...nice to see some of you "got it." That was the point.

I guess I should have said +8 ROLLING FIGURE FOUR around the ring post. Now THAT would have been funny and maybe everyone would have gotten it.

I doubt it would have changed any of this. Sadly.

[Chris Ingersoll]

swarm said:

You know what, I don't care. Please take your own advice and ignore that post.

Sorry.

Rob

Honest question: can you guys not delete your own posts?

[dukedave]

admin said:

swarm said:

You know what, I don't care. Please take your own advice and ignore that post.

Sorry.

Rob

Honest question: can you guys not delete your own posts?

I usually leave that to you.

But seriously, I do delete mine when I realize my argument is more retarded than usual.

[Knapik]

admin said:

swarm said:

You know what, I don't care. Please take your own advice and ignore that post.

Sorry.

Rob

Honest question: can you guys not delete your own posts?

How do you do that? Edit then leave everything blank?

[swarm]

admin said:

swarm said:

You know what, I don't care. Please take your own advice and ignore that post.

Sorry.

Rob

Honest question: can you guys not delete your own posts?

Of course we can why do you ask?

[dukedave]

knapik said:

admin said:

Honest question: can you guys not delete your own posts?

How do you do that? Edit then leave everything blank?

No. Go to any post you've written and there is a delete key with the quote and modify buttons.

[Chris Ingersoll]

swarm said:

admin said:

Honest question: can you guys not delete your own posts?

Of course we can why do you ask?

Two reasons:

1) The tone of your post ("just forget it") made it seem like you wanted to but couldn't for some reason.

2) Because I'm the admin, I always see the "delete" icon on every post (along with others). I don't have another account, so I'm not sure what the rest of you see (although I could have logged in to my Deuce account, I guess).

[Wildfire]

I think trolling is whatever the mod on the board says it is... seriously.

In my opinion, no one here has really ever trolled... maybe stevedreamer with her stalking Osk, but that was more creepy than trolling...

I don't remember it that well, but did the guys that made Wrestle Wars make accounts and post how the GWF sucked and we should all buy their game? THAT is most definately trolling.

The only thing I've seen here that is CLOSE to trolling iby any regulars here back before the Deuce when Swarm would post things like "watched TNA tonight, it still sucks"... I respect that he's allow to offer an opinion(lately he posts more like TNA sucks because.. which I find to be a perfectly valid start to a discussion on a message board), but a harsh negative opinion that you know well is going to get people riled isn't very nice... wether you call it trolling or not.

[Chris Ingersoll]

wildfire said:

I don't remember it that well, but did the guys that made Wrestle Wars make accounts and post how the GWF sucked and we should all buy their game? THAT is most definately trolling.

I don't think that was ever proven either way, but there was definitely some garbage similar to that (maybe not as explicit) going on initially.

[swarm]

admin said:

swarm said:

Of course we can why do you ask?

Two reasons:

1) The tone of your post ("just forget it") made it seem like you wanted to but couldn't for some reason.

2) Because I'm the admin, I always see the "delete" icon on every post (along with others). I don't have another account, so I'm not sure what the rest of you see (although I could have logged in to my Deuce account, I guess).

Yeah we have the delete button too. My "forget it" was directed at you. Not everyone. But yes we can delete our own posts.