No one is going to believe this story, but I swear to God it's true.
Back in the early days of the internet, I was the first person I know of to use the word "trolling" to describe what I did to have fun online. This was in the 90's AOL era. I chose the word "trolling" because it's a fishing term, and phishing was already a thing that people did. In fishing, the process of trolling is when you use a small outboard motor to move the boat around without firing up your main engine and scaring the fish. This small outboard is called a trolling motor. Since internet trolling is all about using clever ruses to get the best of people without them knowing your intent, I thought it worked. But none of the people I used the word on IRL ever responded to it. How bizarre that years later, trolling became a sort of pseudo-religion, and my original terminology for it somehow became the default. I chalk it up to the collective consciousness.
Since internet trolling is all about using clever ruses to get the best of people without them knowing your intent
I've always thought the term meant to get a LARGE reaction out of the trollee(s), especially in relation to the effort by the troller, while taking little to no damage from the interaction.
Your definition might explain why everyone seems to call anything that simply gets an unfavorable response "trolling", even when it's not happening.
Someone a few days ago was using the word trolling to describe two people having a debate. I mean.... two people having a debate (where they obviously disagree) is as much trolling as is two people punching each other and landing blows on each other.... that's definitely not what trolling means, and this word's usage is all over the map. I swear most people use the word to be trendy, like they're socially cuing that they're "in" on the cool "internet stuff" if they say the word.
You used the word correctly, but I think the definition needs unpacking.
Anyways, more about the game. I was reading some more lore in the game, and it talks about borders among nations in the world being dissolved and anarchy ensuing. This was UNTHINKABLE in the year 2000, and, to my knowledge, the term "open borders" (the game didn't use this exact term btw) wasn't in mainstream usage until 2016 as well.
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SmokeyMeadow ago
No one is going to believe this story, but I swear to God it's true.
Back in the early days of the internet, I was the first person I know of to use the word "trolling" to describe what I did to have fun online. This was in the 90's AOL era. I chose the word "trolling" because it's a fishing term, and phishing was already a thing that people did. In fishing, the process of trolling is when you use a small outboard motor to move the boat around without firing up your main engine and scaring the fish. This small outboard is called a trolling motor. Since internet trolling is all about using clever ruses to get the best of people without them knowing your intent, I thought it worked. But none of the people I used the word on IRL ever responded to it. How bizarre that years later, trolling became a sort of pseudo-religion, and my original terminology for it somehow became the default. I chalk it up to the collective consciousness.
MyOnlyAccount ago
I've always thought the term meant to get a LARGE reaction out of the trollee(s), especially in relation to the effort by the troller, while taking little to no damage from the interaction.
Your definition might explain why everyone seems to call anything that simply gets an unfavorable response "trolling", even when it's not happening.
Someone a few days ago was using the word trolling to describe two people having a debate. I mean.... two people having a debate (where they obviously disagree) is as much trolling as is two people punching each other and landing blows on each other.... that's definitely not what trolling means, and this word's usage is all over the map. I swear most people use the word to be trendy, like they're socially cuing that they're "in" on the cool "internet stuff" if they say the word.
You used the word correctly, but I think the definition needs unpacking.
Anyways, more about the game. I was reading some more lore in the game, and it talks about borders among nations in the world being dissolved and anarchy ensuing. This was UNTHINKABLE in the year 2000, and, to my knowledge, the term "open borders" (the game didn't use this exact term btw) wasn't in mainstream usage until 2016 as well.
VoatVoyeur ago
At this point trolling is a generic term for fucking with people in any way, clever or not.
People also use it to get out if being accountable for things they say, "just trolling u bro lol chill"
MyOnlyAccount ago
Yes to all of that
Gladers ago
I could dump