In the article by the Artifice about The Art of Trolling brings up very intriguing, detailed account of trolling: its history and origins, and its role in society today. I found the history and theory behind it very interesting. Trolls being multifaceted is touched upon as being tricksters or jesters - there for a momentary laugh and then forgotten until another troll pops up. There is no one troll or one viewpoint that they subscribe to. However, I feel like the article didn't quite reach far enough in their observations about trolls and the so-called "art" of trolling. Trolling is complicated and essentially has no hero or one goal, but I feel like if the writer went on his own trolling escapade, he could have a broader knowledge of what a day in the life of a troll would be like. There are many people who go through life observing and commenting this or that, not necessarily because they're being intentionally malicious or mean, but because they're human. I believe that trolling is a learned behavior - that by annoying people into doing what we want or seeing others do it, we do it again and again. I believe that trolling in in a sense a part of what makes us human. No matter what people say or do, there will always be someone who has their own opinion. People also seek it out. There's a certain craving for the drama of it all - the fact that a troll is able to get under someone's skin is something the people can laugh at and enjoy before forgetting ten minutes later. People can make any kind of observation that they want, especially on the internet, what it to be heard. [The troll is turned] into a jester figure who provides a momentary amusement and not much more. Trolling itself is an experiment of human activity online. Their motivations may not always lines up - they could be bored, or angry, or anything else - but trolls do feel somewhat accomplished when their goal is met: p*ssing people off. I feel like this is an idea that could have been expanded upon more in the article. Humans are messy drama queens that like to stir the pot. The acute rise in trolling in groups such as the Alt-Right has also gone down, or at least been very good at hiding. There's an excellent video I'll think below by YouTuber Contrapoints that I feel like has done an excellent job (one of many, of course) of analyzing and dismantling the Alt-Right trolls. While they're very likely hidden in private forums, those that are easy to see on public social media platforms. Just in the past few years, I've seen the rise and the slight decline in the Alt-Right's grip on the internet as people are looking out for signs. Trolling itself is anonymous, but some tactics used by specific groups are easy to spot once you're good at recognizing the signs.
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May 2020
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