[WikiEN-l] Troll?

[Charles Matthews]

Mark Richards wrote

> You make it sound like 'troll-folk' are identifiable,
> and do nothing but 'troll' (whatever that is).

You make it sound as if you have never come across an actual troll.

>In
> fact, this word is almost always applied to someone
> with whom we have a disagreement. It does not apply to
> them in general, usually just the thing we disagree
> with.

Like I said, the term is consistently misused.  Like I said, I see nothing
funny or interesting in blurring its actual denotation.

>This sort of dehumanizing generalisation is not
> helpful.

It is remarkably helpful to distinguish between rhetorical proponents of
strongly-held views, and trolls who (as far as I can see) actually are
dependent in a psychological sense on confrontational argument.  The
difference between needing to see that others hold sincere opposing views,
and needing help.

Charles