Lately I have had a few random troll attacks on older blog posts that are still hanging out there on the blogosphere. Usually I laugh it off and click delete. The last one was a particularly nasty attack on me and my kids and that one really got under my skin. I hate to admit it, as I know it only gives trolls ammunition to know that one of their nasty barbs actually penetrated. Seriously, trolls can say any nasty thing they want about me and it doesn't bug me. But I do not take well to attacks on my family and friends. That I don't tolerate. If you are mad at me because you don't agree with my view, and you want to make a personal attack because you are not too bright, then by all means make the personal attack. I don't care what you say about me. But don't be stupid and talk trash about my kids. That just ain't right.
So let's analyze the psychology of a troll. They can be very smart or very stupid. They can be snakes in the grass or sledghammer waving thugs. But the one thing they all have in common is malicious hatred of others. Just look at the nastiness that oozes from the recent troll comment:
I don't know how to break this to you, but a lot of people hate your kids
too. I'm one of them. There were a few times that they were walking by me that I
just wanted to kick them. Scratch that, I wanted to kick their mother who has
taught them to be loud, pick their nose in the street, cough in my face on the
subway, and scream on airplanes. Some of us were wise enough to not get knocked
up on prom night, so we don't want to have to deal with your disgusting kids or
the filth they leave in this city either.
Fozziebare13's comment is the epitome of a pitiful hatred of the human race. Fozzie's been terribly hurt by people, can't you just see? Fozzie was probably that kid no one wanted on their dodgeball team. Probably the weird greasy looking kid that wore really bad clothes and had a thick coat of dandruff on their shoulders. You know the one no one would go near because they smelled bad and everyone thought you'd catch cooties from them. Poor fozziebare13!
After my initial burst of ifIevermeetyouI'llripyourheartoutthroughyourthroat, I felt a terrible pity for this poor creature. After all, not all trolls are born trolls. Some are made into trolls by bad life expereinces. Just read between the lines. He or she was an unwanted child. Fozzie's parents must have mistreated Fozzie terribly. Alchoholics who ignored and then verbally abused poor Fozzie just because Fozzie wasn't the brightest and was a bit hard on the eyes. This is heartbreaking! I feel so sad for Fozzie! I see this posting as a plea for help. A call out to others to see the sadness and the need for someone, anyone to love them.
Too bad it can't be me. I don't like trolls. They smell and are never as bright as they think they are. And they are the biggest party poopers in the entire world. Their negative force could blot out the sun. I don't like trolls because I want to live my life with positive harmony, not miserable negativity. So to all the trolls out there, go find another bridge to poop on. You can leave me as many nasty messages as you want, I'll delete them just as fast. But I hope one day you trolls will find some happiness in life that will transform you back into humans.
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35 comments:
Trolls - in the non-cyber world, they are the ones spewing their bile on any hapless person in their paths. The waiter, the flight attendant, the person whose child belches in public. They think the world owes them, and since the world can't give it back they seek to extract it victim-by-victim. Calling them on it only marks up the tally on the "world owes me" side. They wallow in their self-imposed anhedonia, making sure everyone around them knows what a shitty hand they were dealt in life.
If I were any good at oozing pity all over them, I would. But ignoring is my best defense. And teaching my children about how pathetic it is to be so full of self-righteous entitlement and venom that the joys of life, right there for the taking, pass them right by.
Chin up, Ello. For every Troll there are 100 Troll-loathers, oozing pity and indifference whilst squeezing every drop of pleasure from life and reveling in it.
In Your Face, Troll.
Clicking delete does seem the best course.
Chin up, Ello!!
Trolls suck butt. I feel sorry for them too - my gawd, get a life, right? I picture that particular poster as an overweight loser still living in his mom's basement, furtively typing in a dark room lit only by the monitor's glow.
"Harold!" A screech floats down the stairs.
Harold ignores the noise.
"HAROLD!"
He turns, annoyed, calling over his shoulder, greasy comb over catching the light. "What, ma? I'm busy here!"
"I need another glass of soda - plenty of ice!"
*laugh*
How can we not pity that poor slob?
Your girls are wonderful, showing every indication of growing up to be strong, well-adjusted women, who know their own minds and aren't afraid to step up.
Sort of like their mom.
:)
I'm sorry about that Ello, I really am. But it quite frankly scares me too, because I've been loosening up about talking about my kids. I think I'll cool it for a while...
But I completely agree with Mom in Scrubs--these are people who have this self=righteous sense of entitlement. Anyone with children knows that there are certain behaviors *ALL* children go through. And if I'm correct, your stories are mainly about your children at your house. Not picking noses at restaurants or libraries.
Now, I did know one couple whose children were perfectly behaved all the time.
They had a neat system for discipline.
Anytime one of their children 'misbehaved' in any way, they'd get locked in a completely blackened room.
They started this system when the children turned two, so the complete authority of the father would sink in.
This is an upper-middle class family, not that it makes any difference.... But to see their perfect house, their perfect cars, their perfect kids...
All a sad illusion.
Ello, these creatures just do not deserve your time and attention. Yours was a great answer but it also gave them what they wanted - acknowledgement. If it happens again just delete and forget about it.
:-)
Trolls are black holes.
Deletion hurts them the most I would imagine.
uggh...just uggh...
Ugh. Sorry you had a nasty comment like that. I'm pretty sure this person wouldn't say it to your face, but the fact that it's anonymouse gives them a sort of weird power.
Oh dear. I really need to proofread before I click "publish." AnonyMOUSE? Hahahaha...
Trolls who go after kids rank lower than dung beetles.
im an anonymouse.
also, yay for humanity. made it spread like an infectious disease.
Bernita and Steve: You guys have it right.
Ello: Trolls are attention seeking, and by blogging about a particular troll, you feed their ego, give them the satisfaction of knowing they've gotten to you - a person they perceive as more popular/powerful, and this only perpetuates their behavior.
At the risk of sounding troll-like, posts like this that provide an even bigger platform for the troll than just the comments section, are a mistake.
And tracking them down to their blog/email and giving them a piece of your mind would give them the same amount of satisfaction from the fact that they were able to get your goat.
So, don't feed the trolls, Ok? Just hit delete. The greatest insult you can pay anyone is to ignore then.
The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
Simply put, what an ass this troll was. And a coward of course not to say it to your face. Hardly even worth the time to delete their comments. But that would be the simplest course.
Melissa,
I think "anonyMouse" was right on target! Though mice may frighten some, they are ultimately meek and tiny creatures that would flee if actually confronted.
BTW - as Ello's "troll" I am not to be confused with this particular variety of trolls. We are completely different species.
Da' Man
what scum. i'm like you--i can handle meaness against me, but don't bring my loved ones into it. in the end, you can only pity. because really, what type of person does something as cowardly and mean as troll comments?
it's just sad.
Thanks everyone. I know I should have just pressed delete and forgotten about it, but I thought it would be good to see how mean people can be and that it did go in line with the title of my blog, after all! ;o) So it was relevant.
But I have pulled my girls pictures. They were never meant to be up for long anyway. And I'll be leery of putting anything else up. Not worth it.
But since this seems to happen every so often, I will continue to just delete and ignore.
Seriously. What a poop head. You were kinder than I would have been.
The "good news" is that this troll almost certainly knows neither you nor your kids at all. They just wander the internet looking for people to insult. There are even trolls who specifically look for kid things on YouTube or on blogs so that they can attack.
And I have no sympathy for them.
can't agree with you more, ell :(
i choose not to deal with any, hence i filter every comment on my page...
luckily, i've only had to reject 5 - 6 so far....
(Was I the only one turned on by the fact that mom in scrubs used the word "anhedonia"?)
Ello, I admire that you tried to spin this in a compassionate way, and probably that's the good person thing to do, but you know it's okay to rip a pillow in half while screaming "fuck you"?
Long time lurker....
Ignore the trolls! Your kids sound like they're hilarious and fun. Just the sort of kiddies I'd love to babysit if I was still doing that gig.
Holy crap, Ello, I've never gotten anything that nasty. I agree with you though, in my neighborhood that troll would've lost a lot of shoes - the cool kids would've taken them, tied them together and hung them over the street lights...
I'm a little sad that I won't get to see more pictures of your kids, as they're adorable, but hell, we can always email back and forth.
Trolls and anonymouses like moonie are altogether different - moonie has a good reason, after all, how many of her blog readers would hit her up for preferential treatment if we knew who she was (cough, cough) I mean, not me or anything... hmmm... okay... well, perhaps...
That type of nastiness, though... fozie bear knows damn well if he/she saw you in person he/she would barely have the nerve to look you in the eye, that's why they spew the nasty anon. on a blog post. Cowards. Pasty little rotten nasty cowards.
And no, you shouldn't feed the trolls, but sometimes it helps. Hit delete when you can, I guess.
Must be the season. I've had a rash of these as well though most of mine come via email.
Some people can't be helped and merit only pity.
I have it on good authority that fozziebare13 is actually Sarah Palin.
That guy gives trolls a bad name.
Frankly, I just don't see the point of trollish attacks and they are best ignored and their comments deleted.
But as you say, trolls are seldom born, they're made.
I'm sorry you've had to endure this, Ello.
Just wanted to let you know that I gave you an I Love Your Blog award in my latest post. It's one of those pass-it-along things in case you wanted to play. :)
Because, hey, I love your blog.
I actually had a troll leave a comment on my site a couple weeks ago. The thing that threw me off though was that his screen name was Da Man...and for all of two seconds I thought that it was maybe YOUR man commenting. But, after reading the comment I realized that your husband is more than likely NOT this troll...because I highly doubt you'd be able to stand being married to such a man.
Chin up Ello...hate mail sucks, but it comes with the territory (unfortunately).
. . . or maybe it's because she can't escape from me.
Are you kidding, if I was that bad, she'd kick my behind Brooklyn style!
Da' (Real) Man
Awww, I love your kids! I know ,Dooce (have you been there?) gets regularly criticized on her parenting. She laughs it off, now, but it's gotta be hard.
Trolls bewilder me. It's such an odd thing to do. Are they young teens? Is this the equivalent of a prank call? Are they older? What do they hope to achieve? It's absolutely bizarre.
All I can say is I'm glad I was late - I didn't see the post - good thing.
Ello,
When I read this, my heart broke for you. I love reading about your children. In fact, I love your children, though I've never met them. ;o)
I think you're right about this troll. The "devaluing" of human life could be the very reason the trolls best friend is likely a dog, which is okay, if that's what works for them. BUT they shouldn't lash out at others who love others, their children, and people who love and appreciate life like you. I pray that this person lets go of their hate so they can receive the joy of life.
"Hurt people, hurt people" is never more apparent than in this posted comment.
I agree with AW. Just ignore pathetic losers with nothing to do. :-)
I don't know you, I just happened to find you by googling "I hate to sew" (I know I am weird). just out of curiousity, I googled the name of your troll. He is a 32 year old gay man in NYC. Unless there is another person with the exact same online handle spelled the exact same way...he even has a myspace.
Yes, I think your conclusion that he is a very damaged person is right on up there.
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