DiogenesThaDogg

There is a surprising lack of support for trolling in this thread. There are many different types of trolls. Most of them are useless. Most of what passes as a "troll" nowadays is simply someone playing the part of: unsophisticated pot-stirrer, a relentless contrarian, a shock-jock, or an idiot. The useful troll exists. I seen it! (anyone seen FYAD on SomethingAwful.com? extremely talented philosophy-trolls who attempt to repair idiocy) The useful troll is someone who (as was Kierkegaard) is skilled in "the art of taking away".A useful troll is a philosopher at heart, because only philosophers have this irrational, irrepressible urge to "fix" things. This useful troll will always choose her targets carefully. What merit is there in belittling a cancer survivor? None, it's mean-spirited and unfunny. Conversely, what merit is there in belittling someone who, against overwhelming advice, attempted to live on a farm on his own in the middle of the Hawaiian jungle with no agricultural experience and grew sick drinking unfiltered water that pigs splash in, then complained about it to the very people who warned him? A lot. It's funny because it's his own damn fault, and if no one will belittle him, it is entirely possible that he may grow to think his own ineptitude was not to blame for his misfortune and never learn. Similarly, those who watch this episode unfold won't learn an important life lesson if someone does not humorously, obliquely and (most importantly) uniquely creatively humiliate this person. It is essential to show people their missteps. If trolling is the only way to show a group of people how one ought to live, then it would be immoral NOT to troll. That's a really limited definition. For example, what if a troll evaluates all potential targets and only seeks out bullies? Is a troll a bully for bullying bullies? Is it trolling to point out others mistakes in a humorous fashion? What is a polite troll? Your definition does nothing to address these important questions. How do you know that a troll only cares for the disruption, no matter what? Have you ever trolled anyone? Have you never met a troll with a conscience? You're attacking a strawman, if I may say so.