They see me trollin’, they hatin’
Breda on trolls. I largely agree, though I do occasionally bring out the ridicule when they comment here. You know, shut up, he adults are talking kind of stuff. But that’s because it’s my house. And, thus far, we’ve mostly been free of trolls. But she’s right. They are not worth the time or effort.
As a general rule, I also pretty much ignore whoever the sacrificial lamb anti-gun blogger is. As much fun as reasoned discoursetm is, it’s largely inside baseball. Because they’re shills and you’re not going to change their mind. I used to think that maybe I’d change the minds of casual readers but then I realized the only people reading them was us gun nuts anyway. So, why bother? I do, however, monitor them in the event that we get an anti-gun board member doing something dumb like advocating violence against gays; or talks to aliens; or does the sockpuppet thing; or engaging in violence. Then, they kind of become useful to me. Otherwise, they’re irrelevant buffoons who will be tossed on the scrap heap of history.
And, you know, time spent arguing with trolls is time better spent, say, blogging.
November 9th, 2010 at 10:44 am
The only chance of reaching the undecided is on mommy blogs and the like, where usually uninformed people take an anti-gun position but are willing to discuss it.
When I find one, I have to admit, I keep it on the down low to keep people from coming there and yelling “SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED!!1!1!” and stuff.
November 9th, 2010 at 11:43 am
I would consider the importance of having discussions on their blogs to be very high.
When people search for gun control phrases, they often hit on the ‘sacrificial lamb’ of the day. Without the counter argument present there, without the links to pro-rights blogs and resources; then the antis are the only voice heard.
Why shouldn’t we fill up their blogs with facts, statistics, evidences and our views. Make them pay for hosting pro-rights talking points.
November 9th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
You hit a big bullseye with that post. There is a reason why the phrase “dont feed the troll” has become so common.
November 9th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
“Why shouldn’t we fill up their blogs with facts, statistics, evidences and our views. Make them pay for hosting pro-rights talking points.”
A big reason not to bother is they don’t allow comments, and if they do 60-70% will be shitcanned seemingly at random. Also with no readers and nobody back-linking to them, how would people find them at all?
I mean most gun control talking points lead to pro-gun blogs in the first place.
And in all fairness I’m one of the worst offenders in feeding the trolls, and I apologies.
November 9th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I agree with you – starve the troll, they are uncognizant.
November 9th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Yeah, but sometimes it’s an easy target. One of those opportunities you just can’t pass up.
November 9th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Well, they do, on occasion, provide all-too-useful blogfodder, so there is that.
November 12th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
This from the guy who put out a post that was just, “what is there to do in Abilene?”