Do Not Feed The Trolls
By amplifying their voices, you’re giving them time & space they don’t deserve.
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Ignoring internet trolls and their vile behaviour is easier said than done. It takes a ton of patience to deal with trolls, and a ton of reserve not to drop the f bomb as soon as they start mouthing off. We know online trolls like to big it up behind a screen, but if you ever met them face to face most likely they’d avoid confrontation at all costs. In 2020 when trolling is ascending to new heights, particularly in the digital sphere, how do we best deal with it?
There's no excuse for trolling in any form. I don’t know what drives people to do it, maybe their lives are empty or maybe they’re just bat shit crazy. We know by now that as much as the internet can be a magical place, it can also be pretty hellish. Trolls thrive in the no-go zones of the internet, they love chaos. They delight in taking pure spaces on the web and turning them into something dark and dangerous, and in the digital realm it can seem as if these bad guys are winning.
We’re taught right from wrong from an early age, so we all know what we should and shouldn’t be doing. I'm not sure what drives trolling behaviour, but the sad reality is some human beings actually like trolling. It’s easy for keyboard warriors to remain anonymous while they bully and harass others online, easier for them to do this than deal with their own inner demons. But just because they may be feeling some type of way, or just because they’ve been through the emotional ringer, this doesn’t excuse what they do.
The trolling phenomena is going to get better or it's going to get worse. There's a battle between the good and the bad guys, and the technology companies whose platforms where the abuse occurs don’t seem too concerned about solving this problem. It should never be up to the victims to find a solution, but unfortunately in this scenario this can be what happens. A lot of the time trolls don’t face real life repercussions, victims often have to go through lengthy processes to get any form of justice. Even then, sometimes the most trolls get is a slap on the wrist.
It’s hard to know what to do, how to deal with trolls, who to turn too when they attack. I don’t know what the right thing to say is, and I'm definitely no expert in dealing with trolls. But when in doubt don’t rise to the bait, don’t give them what they want. They don’t deserve your time or attention - don’t feed the trolls.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter to see more of what I’m up to, and I’ll see you same time same place next week!
Catch you soon,
J’Nae
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING:
- This article by The Good Trade talks about working through our feelings of being behind in life, a sentiment I can definitely get behind.
WHAT I’VE BEEN WATCHING:
- Dream Home Makeover is a great new interior design show on Netflix I binge watched in about two days. It follows an American couple living in Utah as they work together to renovate different properties, for all my homebodies out there this show is definitely for you.
WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO:
- ‘Khalid - Eleven ft. Summer Walker’ - where have I been that I missed this song when it was released? Love it, and love Ugly Worldwide’s cameo.
WHAT’S CAUGHT MY EYE:
- If you want a good laugh, follow Uncle Roger on Instagram. I promise you you won’t regret it.