There is a rush to judgement that happens online quite frequently. You have some skitzo poster, someone a bit unhinged, and many will conclude very quickly, "oh, he's a troll, nothing more... move along"
If only it were that simple.
It's true, trolls are everywhere online. It's a part of everyones experience when posting in various places. It's made people jaded, and quick to cynicism about ones identity.
However, we must not forget the internets power to bring people, of all stripes - together. I find so many people expect a common IRL interaction on the net, but that simply is a foolish wish. For the most part, in everyday life you get to choose your interactions with people. You can very freely associate with those you like, and you self select who you avoid based on where you go and who you hangout with. Online is a different story. The people that may be isolated, ignored, and mocked in everyday interaction, now have a soapbox and a conduit into your brain.
The crazies in our population may be only 5%, but I would argue that when you provide a medium that allows them equal footing with the normals, you can BET YOUR ASS you are going to have an inflated sample size of the unhinged. Why be surprised that in a place with an active member list ~50-70, there may be 1 or 2 psychos? Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Where else do the crazies have to go? Who else are they going to talk to?
So the next time you call someone a troll, deep down you know there is a part of you that is horrified at the prospect that maybe, just maybe, this person is the real deal. That they pass you on the street, silently. That they may work next to you, quietly and invisible. They may be everywhere, but you don't see them.
Until you come onto JPP.
You wish they were trolls.
If only it were that simple.
It's true, trolls are everywhere online. It's a part of everyones experience when posting in various places. It's made people jaded, and quick to cynicism about ones identity.
However, we must not forget the internets power to bring people, of all stripes - together. I find so many people expect a common IRL interaction on the net, but that simply is a foolish wish. For the most part, in everyday life you get to choose your interactions with people. You can very freely associate with those you like, and you self select who you avoid based on where you go and who you hangout with. Online is a different story. The people that may be isolated, ignored, and mocked in everyday interaction, now have a soapbox and a conduit into your brain.
The crazies in our population may be only 5%, but I would argue that when you provide a medium that allows them equal footing with the normals, you can BET YOUR ASS you are going to have an inflated sample size of the unhinged. Why be surprised that in a place with an active member list ~50-70, there may be 1 or 2 psychos? Seems perfectly reasonable to me. Where else do the crazies have to go? Who else are they going to talk to?
So the next time you call someone a troll, deep down you know there is a part of you that is horrified at the prospect that maybe, just maybe, this person is the real deal. That they pass you on the street, silently. That they may work next to you, quietly and invisible. They may be everywhere, but you don't see them.
Until you come onto JPP.
You wish they were trolls.