Enigma, on Watergate Summer, a really genuine, caring person, has just had a brush with trolls. I really feel for her having had a troll try to crash my blog last year. He nearly succeeded but in dealing with him I learned a great deal. Now I can give as good as I get. Even so, my partner, on a weekly basis, still exhorts me to give it away. "You get too stressed," she says.
Reading some of the comments on Enigma's site, it appears that, as well as the 'dime-a-dozen' deranged and fanatical trolls, there are paid trolls who actually earn money from destroying sites that might be becoming a little too popular or might be pressing too hard on some hot button issues or may be advocating dramatic changes to political systems or economic systems or religious institutions or who are relentlessly attacking poor, sycophantic leaders or the war-mongering politicians of imperialist countries, etc. Telling the truth does not always make you popular it seems!
But trolls are not the only blogging menace. There are also sites, usually larger ones, where the publishers who run them engage in a cat and mouse game with those who contribute, who encourage conflict, who peddle depravity or who generate posts which appeal to the lowest common denominator of humanity or to some elitist cabal. Some of these publishers are on a huge ego-trip and love the power they exert over their contributors. They give out little rewards to their favorites or, capriciously, accord light punishments or, sometimes, much more extreme measures, to those who do not play their game by their rules. Some publishers are cannibals and love nothing better than periodically eating another blog owner or two.
Given that humans are involved in blogging and that anyone at all can set up a blog for free and virtually anyone at all can comment on a blog, blogging will always have its share of problems.
To run a blog (or even to contribute to one), it helps to have a hide like a rhino and the ability to sting like a box jellyfish when required!
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Beware Of Trolls And Egomaniacs!
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4 comments:
Perhaps the way to go Daniel is to operate a website in which you have control over what occurs. I have experienced nothing of what you speak of on either my website or my local government interest blog site which is operated by the Leader Newspaper...Perhaps you need to chill just a little and really come to grips with the concept that blogging is just a another form of education.
People will read the book (blog) and either comprehend the message or throw the book (blog) away....but having accessed its pages will remember its words, and ever give them uncomfortable thoughts to chew over in the quiet of their minds......Another local group in our area had their whole website removed without any understanding or warning of why and by whom....S*** happens! don't let it get to you, otherwise your detractors have won already!!
As you would know, Mary, getting involved with controversial issues is not the way to achieve peace! Take care.
I will visit Watergate to help. I had a problem last year myself.
Renegade, ever the gentleman! We bloggers should stick together, support each other. Divided we fall!
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