The T word

With blizzard now revoking their plans to force realID on the forums, I thought I'd do a short piece on the word on everyone's lips these days "Troll" and how it's overuse is REALLY pissing me off.

I remember way, way back in the mid to late 90s someone who was "trolling" a forum/nesgroup referred to someone who was what in modern times you would call a lurker. Back then a troll was someone who was ALWAYS on the boards and always watching everything that happened, just as a troll watches everything that passes over their bridge. How the term came to mean what it means now; someone who posts inflammatory remarks for the sheer purpose of getting a reaction out of someone, is beyond me. But hey, if that's what the word means now then so be it.

The problem now though, is that EVERYONE with a fucking opinion is a troll. This is not what a troll is and I want the people of the internet to stop throwing this fucking word around like confetti. Allow me to share with you an example:

Let's say the following posts ensues

Hi everyone, I just saw popular movie of the week and I really don't see what all the hype was about. I thought the acting was sub par, there was plot hole X in the second act. I still thought the effects were good and the action decent, but I don't see why everyone is going crazy about this movie; what did you like or dislike about this movie? Maybe I missed something!

In the current state of the internet I've seen people reply to posts like this and say:

"OP, stop trolling, the acting was great and this movie is awesome".

NO! WRONG! BAD! You stupid shit, the original poster is NOT a Troll, he or she is someone who simply holds an unpopular opinion about something. The original post contained no HINT of wanting to offend and get people worked up. In fact, the only troll in the thread is the SECOND poster who is calling OP a troll. His remarks are inflammatory and opinionated.

Thus, let us lay down the SINGLE law of troll detection:
JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE VOICES A DIFFERENT OPINION FROM YOUR OWN DOES NOT MAKE THEM A TROLL.

I've seen this happen so much on the internet I can't fucking believe people roll with it. I've seen people called trolls because they point out some of the flaws in Halo with well reasoned and structured arguments, whereas the people who call them trolls get internet high-fives from their like minded friends.

This doesn't mean trolls don't exist, going back to Halo just because I do not like the game, even I would agree someone posting "Halo is an AWFUL game, I can't believe you all like it" is a troll through and through. There is no structure or logic to the argument beyond sheer opinion and is clearly designed to attack people who old the opposite opinion. Since opinions are subjective it's arguing nothing and is designed to get people in a flame war.

If there is one thing you should take away from this, always remember the law of troll detection!