#RandomThoughts – Internet Trolls

By
Tshaka Armstrong
– November 30, 2010Posted in: #RandomThoughts

Source: madcowstudios.com

Based on the way a certain twitter pal gracefully handled a heckler yesterday, I started thinking about combating internet trolls. What really is the best tact to take? Now, being the supreme geek that I am, I believe I am qualified to answer such a question. My qualification? I was a Super Mod, overseeing over 10,000 18-54 year old males on an internet forum. Yeah, you have to have done it to understand completely but that’s like being an internet combat medic (big up to all my Corpsmen out there!), foreign diplomat AND janitor all rolled into one. So, which tact do we take? My answer… fight them like we do in Aikido or HapKiDo: Use their own weight against them. Aaaaaand since, in most cases, they really carry little or no weight… DO NOTHING! Don’t acknowledge them. Don’t post back, tweet back, update back, email back, Formspring back! Period. When you address them back, in anger, by name, THEY WIN. And when trolls win, hobbits die. You don’t want hobbits dying do you? Nestled all cozy, there in the Shire drinking flagons of mead. Dammit! Save a hobbit. Dont. Feed. The. TROLLS (or the Uru-kai). Return their hatred with indifference… or a joke if you must. But, only if it’s a good one.

Side note: Much like kittens, feeding trolls causes them to return to your doorstep. Yet another awe-tastic reason not to feed the trolls.

Your turn. How do you deal with internet trolls?

Tags: , ,

About Tshaka Armstrong

Tshaka Armstrong is the husband to one awesome wife, dad to three awesome children. On any given day you may find him posting internet & tech family safety info here and on his personal blog www.digitalshepherds.com, or chatting with his tweeps when he's not dadvocating here. Join in the conversation, drop a line, share a joke and join him in encouraging each other to be awesome!