Trolls, Different Types

So… everyone has different opinions of trolls… mine? Is that they’re usually looking for a laugh or to control people in some way.

So… how did I come to this conclusion?

Well… lets revisit the different interactions I’ve faced online…

MY definition of a Troll is someone who is a negative persona online.

So various interactions with ‘negative persona’ include manipulation techniques, questions that make you question yourself why you do things or behave in a certain ways, empty inappropriate basically sarcastic offensive terms because they don’t understand and have their own take on your words.

Manipulative types:

First type is: they see you’re desperate. They’ll make you feel needed, promise something you want, push you away, ignore you, move the goal. You basically don’t get anywhere with them and they damage you from inside.

Second type: they’re wrapped in emotions. While not necessarily a ‘troll’ by normal means, they still make you feel uneasy. In their fear or anguish they make you question yourself and your motives, or make requests of you with an emotional response like ‘íf you do this’ or ‘don’t do this’ I will be upset because… and it’s about them, they’re emotions, and never able to consider yours or anyone elses needs. Ok I don’t really class these types as trolls, but they’re definitely in the manipulation category.

Third: They’ll try any means to control your public view. They will share your posts, try to create a negative slant on everything you do, talk about you behind your back and twist information for the benefit of them trying to cost you friends, create fake accounts in extreme circumstances to bring you down, if they see you as a threat to their journey or if they feel you’re unfair in some way. Or jealousy?

Solution?

Manipulative types? They’re not worth it. Back away. No one is worth the pain or the anguish they cause to you, or your friends. If you lose friends and followers because of them, then that friend probably doesn’t know you all that well in the first place if they’re so easily convinced, OR your reaction to the manipulation has caused you to say things that have ended up in them having some kind of proof of ‘how wrong they think you are’.

In all cases, breathe. Only ever respond calmly and rationally. If you do that in both private conversations and public responses, they’ll never have any real evidence of anything. If you laugh behind peoples back, only do it with one or two you totally trust, but even then it’s risky. If they.re friends with that person they might think ‘wait, WHAT’ send the screenshot and… it’s done. You’re the crazy one, apparently, or can be made to be the crazy one.

Miscellaneous Troll Types

Well… they’re in it with a sarcastic laugh. They don’t know you, they’re not bothered about screenshots, they just tease. Like I was talking about suicide once, in an article about someone who’d taken their own life, and a troll pops up ‘do it, kill yourself!’

It’s sarcasm… they don’t actually mean it, they don’t THINK you mean it. They don’t understand, they just think they’re being witty and maybe make some of their lil friends laugh. It’s usually childish and no true foundation of anything. Just ignore them or send them a 🤔 or 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I think that sums it up so far? If I come across any more types, I’ll let you know, but that’s covered pretty much all my years of social media and trolling trolls from under the bridge of whatever weirdness they stem from.

Thanks for reading, 

Katie