It's Time to fight Back- How To Identify A Troll

a reply to: SoulSurfer

Thank you for this thread. It seems very much from the heart and that you genuinely mean well with it.

There are so many posts I see that do much of this. Especially the harmful one-liners that are completely dismissive of the topic or the weird fights they will pick to completely derail a topic.

Even when they are trolling "for my side", I can't stand it. Intelligent people will see through it but not everybody does and those people become unreasonably poisoned against something or somebody for the wrong reasons. I've seen it happen against Christians, LGBT folk, 2nd amendment folk, the "politically correct", etc.

a reply to: MrsNonSpecific
I used to fight bullies at school, I enjoyed fighting and hated injustice, perfect balance to get away with violence which was unofficially sanctioned by teachers.
Digital world is just typed words though, folk these days cry 'troll' just because someone disagrees with them...the world has become more victim-like in my opinion, pity.

cool story bro.

Just kidding.

WOW...Thank you for this. It has to go down as one of my favorite threads ever here...and it's just begun.
I have to admit, even after so many years here, I never fully understood what a 'Troll' actually is.

My problem has been that I usually take people at their word...and assume they sincerely believe what they are saying.
If I detect genuine passion behind their words...and it's a topic in which I'm interested and one about which I have genuine passion, I will engage them in debate.

I have been called "troll" too, but really never understood what that was until your thread.
When that would occur...I genuinely thought it was just another desperate insult, like "Right-Wing Nutter" (I hear that one on a regular basis).

Like most here, I enjoy debate on subjects about which I'm passionate...but I could never intentionally become a troll. Thanks to your sharing here, I think I will be able to identify them more quickly...and will simply ignore them.

Again, thank you for this. EVERYONE here should read it.

To quote you:
Who Are YOU to Dictate What I do With My Life?





a little too ironic? dontcha think?

a reply to: SoulSurfer

I'm pretty sure you just described everyone who ever existed.

The way I see it is if you say something stupid you will get a stupid response. For example If a person says something racist and that are 'attacked' by others then well that's their right to response and if said person is made to feel stupid then hindsight is their savior-nobody else.

Conversely not all folk are trolls when they call out faulty logic or motives-I'd define a troll as someone who lacks empathy and is self centered like those certain breed of @$$ holes who will post Star Wars spoilers online so people will look at their profile and ruin someones day just for the sake of ruining someones day.

a reply to: angeldoll

happy to hear you've grown up.

To be fair, the Jury is still out on that one. I may have matured in some areas, but I am well aware I have not matured in others. I still react, and this is my number one weakness. When I stop reacting, I become wise.

Im still long ways from that wisdom that I seek. But all within time. For now I just do what i can to help people. By walking the path of redemption. Because I know what being a victim feels like, but I also know, what being the villain feels like as well.

As a villain you get a taste of power, but it is a false power that utilizes fear, intimidation and distortion. This power is addictive, destructive and chaotic. Not exactly any use for a social environment.

But I also wanted people to see one other very important lesson within my post. The part of creating a victim/villain. We need to stop creating victims, it is the only way to not create a villain.

remember, if the bully strips the victim from everything, the victim therefore (if not adressed) will allow his emotions to take over. Once his emotions and anger take over, the victim ultimately seeks destruction of any kind, because in his eyes and experience, the bully took away everything he held dear. All he has is inner rage, and this is what drives the villain to do what he does.

Taking a psychological & metaphorical-allegorical approach to this subject.

(If you want to study character traits, I humbly suggest reading the emotion thesaurus by Angela. It is a must have book for any novelist, and psychologist, because of the well put together details on character traits, emotions and problems that affect their decisions. This book has aided me well in studying people in general. )It answers questions such as: What leads to characters or people to do what they do, and the root cause and driving force to what they do.)

An Example of what I learned there:

Usually, the Hero and the Villain are both virtually on the same path. The only difference between the Hero and The villain, is the end choice they ultimately make which decides the end means of whatever they go through. However, one could say, that both the hero and the villain, are both indirectly best friends, mostly because they have gone through similar character growth. They were both victims of either the same source (bully) or suffered similar events.

This is why you see in many stories that the hero and the villain actually understand one another.

An example of such a story:



RIght here, right there, you have a way to combat terrorism of any kind. You could say, that the bully engages in acts of terrorism. To cause terror within people. But why does he really do this? Because he was a victim himself, while he did the act to cause terror, fear in order to manipulate people, the ones really responsible was the ones before him, and the ones before them, and so on and so forth. It is a cycle, that seems eternal. The cycle we as humanity are currently in.

The cycle of hatred and revenge.

Many tried to stop this wheel, but to no avail, it keeps on turning, crushing all of those below its path. And I believe, stopping this cycle should be humanity's goal as a whole. Why hurt one another? Perhaps, the child at heart within me, is speaking now. What is the point of causing pain to another person who is just like you? No matter what color of skin you have, or what religious beliefs you have. Why cause pain?

People should look at things by tracing back to the root causes. By asking one simple question"What caused this person to do this?" Answering this question, leads to more questions into understanding the human psyche. In other words, as you understand others, you understand yourself more. By knowing others, you know thyself.

In cooperation dwells our hope. I strongly believe this is so.

The only time I befriended a bully, I did so to avoid being beaten up (at first, this was my intention), but i ended up becoming real friends with one of them. And he later opened up that he had trouble at home. Abusive parents leads children into becoming abusive themselves. Thankfully he did change his ways and became humble after our friendship.

But the other bully in my life was not so lucky. he never changed his attitude towards people.


Thank you for taking some time in reading. (And to all those who posted before, and I have not addressed yet.)


I guess all we can do is hope for the best.

I think the GIVE-A-WAY of a TROLL is when they personally insult YOU.

Sometimes I enjoy winding people up on ATS. Does that make a troll? I just see it as having a bit of fun.

a reply to: SoulSurfer


Have you spoken to the good Lord about this?

a reply to: SoulSurfer
Do you really think there is a troll problem on ATS though? I don't, I think the mods here do a great job.. Are you thinking more along facebook lines or something?

Question to the OP:
With your unique experience in this subject; knowing it from BOTH sides...Would you be willing to become ATS's 'Troll Dexter'?

Can you expose any actual 'Paid' Trolls here on ATS currently?...you could even point them out to ATS management quietly.
It would be a service to us all...and would save us much wasted time, frustration and animosity.

a reply to: IAMTAT

Isn't that treading on dangerous ground? How would one know?

a reply to: breakingbs

It takes a Troll...to catch a Troll.

I would personally love to know who the 'paid' trolls are here. I'm sure ATS management would love to know, as well.

a reply to: breakingbs

Besides, people are throwing around the "Troll" accusation at each other pretty regularly here.
To have an actual 'Troll Dexter' expose them, seems worthwhile.

originally posted by: IAMTAT
a reply to: breakingbs

It takes a Troll...to catch a Troll.

I would personally love to know who the 'paid' trolls are here. I'm sure ATS management would love to know, as well.

I offer my services for free, just message me ...quick turnaround usually

a reply to: IAMTAT

I am so glad you said that. I was afraid no one would believe me that I was never sure what a troll was. Now I get it, they are just bullies and you know them when you run across one. Thanks to poster for the thread.

originally posted by: grainofsand

originally posted by: IAMTAT
a reply to: breakingbs

It takes a Troll...to catch a Troll.

I would personally love to know who the 'paid' trolls are here. I'm sure ATS management would love to know, as well.

I offer my services for free, just message me ...quick turnaround usually

I will...but can your creds match or surpass the OP's?

a reply to: IAMTAT
Probably not, I'm more an entry level troll, hence no charge. Hopefully I'll get noticed and signed by an alphabet agency one day.

"Cool story bro"

I call bs on the whole thing.

a reply to: grainofsand

Can you serve me? Now?