Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Hanson]

This board has got a lot of troll-calling going on lately, I've noticed.

Someone mentions the seat belt laws and the fact that a lot of Koreans don't have their children in seatbelts, and two posters call the OP a troll.

Someone posts something about a website by a hagwon not hiring foreign teachers because of AIDS, and people call him a troll.

Someone posts their experience about a "fight" with a drunk Korean guy and hits him with a bottle, and people call him a troll.

Now, I've noticed (forever the keen observer) that people are expanding their, um..., criticisms of other posters to 'noob' and 'artard'.

Now, obviously, some (a few here and there) posts come off trollish, but it seems people are calling every poster they disagree with a troll.

Now, I'm in no way trying to troll here. I'm seriously interested in why people feel the need to call every other poster a troll. That being said, I'm pretty sure someone will come along and call this OP a troll. It's pretty much inevitable, I know.

But I don't feel the 3 examples I gave above to be examples of trolling. They are posters who have an interest in talking about specific topics which are of concern to them and a lot of other people living in Korea as foreigners.

Does it make posters feel superior to call someone a troll? Does calling someone a troll, in some cases, simply mean they disagree strongly with them? Does calling someone a troll simply mean they are not to be trusted/believed?

Lastly, calling someone a 'noob' or an 'artard' simply lowers the poster using these terms, in my opinion, and it's a blatant attempt to anger other posters. 'Loser', 'burger-flipper', 'head up your arse' and the such is just so bloody immature, it boggles my mind.

So, why are Dave's posters lowering themselves to such embarrassing levels? Isn't it enough to just say 'I disagree', or 'I don't believe you' and to substantiate the claim?

OK, rant over.

[Hanson]

A well-known poster on Dave's said this:

[the_beaver]

Troll.

[Hanson]

In the OP I wrote:

[xtchr]

Good posts Hanson. I agree, it's becoming increasingly tiresome and just plain annoying even checking in quickly to Dave's, and every second post has 'troll', 'sock', 'newbie' etc.
Not too sure what can be done, other than ignoring the idiots. Maybe if there was some kind of mod-function that could get certain posters (Qinella, Flotsam etc) put on hold if they go over a set quota of 'troll posts' per day or something.

[tiger fancini]

[adventureman]

Flotsam - nice guy in person, pompus know-it-all ass online

[Woland]

As the person who called 'troll' in the second case you mentioned, I should step up and take what's coming.

I did it because the post had all the signs of being a troll - first post, vague accusation of something to outrage the masses (Foreigner teachers = AIDS), lack of supporting evidence (promised later), and, just a general sense of the style of a troll.

That's why I did it, and JG is on record as saying he was thinking the same thing.

When the OP did produce evidence in support of the claim, I apologized. One of the other posts you cite was directed at me for doing that. Thanks for the support, but I'm not really offended, being on basically good terms with flotsam. And, in any case, he may be right, too. The OP for that thread has never responded to my pointing out that his claim to having posted for many years on Dave's is undermined by the join date in his ID.

I agree with you, though, that there has been a decline in civility lately, and if I've contributed to that it is my fault. I will attempt to cut new posters a bit more slack in the future. But I don't think we should give up the option of calling troll. It does serve a purpose, but it's overuse reduces its value. More careful application is the key.

[Hanson]

Woland, you are one of the most respected posters on this site, and I didn't mean to point a finger at you specifically. I applaud your apology on that thread (AIDS) and it was refreshing to see a simple humble act on a site that has too little of it.

As for flotsy, well, he reaps what he sows. But, I'm sure he can handle it and that he won't be losing any sleep over whatever people throw his way.

And as I said in the OP, some posts are in fact trollish. My problem is, as you mentioned, with its overuse.

[gang ah jee]

I'm on yr message board, trollin yr threadz.

[SuperHero]

[SuperHero]

Hanson,

On the beer bottle post, the guy was clearly a troll. It wasn't entirely clear from his original post (he was clever) but in his responses it became obvious that he was just looking to stir up the pot.

[Paji eh Wong]

[laogaiguk]

[RACETRAITOR]

I called someone a troll for recommending Seo Taiji in a thread about Korean music that doesn't suck.