Don't feed the trolls.

Problem is, they feed one another.

The originality of the message and the creative and succinct way you phrased it is positively electrifying.

I was off for a few days and seeing several hundred trollish silly msgs when I reopened my usenet link just set me off.

I should be used to it by now...

John :-#)#

You *do* know that there are other venues where off-topic posts are actively forbidden? If you have a specific interest, you can likely find one that caters exactly to that interest.

But, do note that you'll also be held to that same standard!

Fred Bloggs snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

Yeah, we all just could not say 'nuff about that, ya know.

Fred Bloggs snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com:

Oh! The polarity!

I can't talk ladies and gentlemen...

I would hope so!

And I have strayed into responding to trollish stuff myself - I am easily caught up - but really, when there are more troll posts than tech posts it does get annoying!

John ;-#)#

My point was that you *know* (or should know) to expect these sorts of posts, here. Else, you'd *be* "elsewhere" -- where they weren't allowed.

Most of my colleagues long ago stopped posting on USENET. Many still

*read* it (and fill my inbox with comments driven by what they've read) but don't bother responding to folks they don't consider their "peers" (in any sense of the word).

Learn to ignore. From wikipedia:

In internet slang, a troll is a person who posts inflammatory, insincere, digressive, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.), a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog), with the intent of provoking readers into displaying emotional responses, or manipulating others' perception. This is typically for the troll's amusement, or to achieve a specific result such as disrupting a rival's online activities or manipulating a political process. Even so, Internet trolling can also be defined as purposefully causing confusion or harm to other users online, for no reason at all.

Ignoring them likely annoys (or infuriates) them -- as you've effectively said they aren't worth your time. They're comments are devoid of value that might, otherwise, merit a reply. They are "beneath" you. Inferior.

You can resort to a kill file -- or just "self-discipline".

Good luck!

[snip]

Years ago I noticed that some women in social groups were arch trouble makers and loved having a big row going.

Some years ago, I was playing with a friend's (VERY) young son. I had been "building" something using his blocks. When I was done, he promptly toppled the structure and giggled with delight.

In that instant, I realized that tearing down is considerably easier (requires less skill, effort) than building up. I hypothesized that he would eventually develop the skills to erect such a structure on his own... BEYOND the relatively low level of skill required to topple it!

I believe this is true even into adulthood. It is considerably easier to "poke holes" than it is to formulate new/NOVEL ideas. Perhaps part of the "hole poking" is self-recognition that they lack the ability to "create"?

You mean like Larkin in this group?

That is true for formulating ideas that can't be poked full of holes. Most of the ideas presented here have many holes in them and would appear to be the more difficult task to "poke" the holes by exposing them or the original author would have found them on his own.... such as the case here.

I had to do some critical thinking to realize your idea was not correct. Finding the limitations or just plain errors in an idea is not at all the same as knocking down a tower of blocks.

Obviously I find some of his belief's, um, surprising.

But I don't think general "ad-hominem statements" are productive, no matter how amusing and/or original

Just the facts.