Trolling

[CrabHelmet]

[quote name='Icyblue' timestamp='1323735033' post='5703052']
And even then then what? I know how the phrase "if a bully is bothering you; ignore them" doesn't apply to real life but in regards to internet trolling it applies extremely. Flat out ignore them, or treat their words with a light touch and force a stronger belief on them. Even if you're unaware of the process of which they're doing it, you always have a manner in which to regress it into them just being jerks.
[/quote]

Certainly, they always have that option. But if a troll is any good at trolling, you won't take that option.


If I challenge you to a game of chess, and you accept, and then I wipe out your army and checkmate you without breaking a sweat because I'm just awesome that way, you can't say it didn't count just because you had the option of not playing. Similarly, if a troll engages you and entices you to respond, the troll doesn't fail because you had the option of remaining silent and knew in your head that that was really the best option - rather, the troll wins because you had the option of remaining silent and knew in your head that that was really the best option [i]and were nonetheless enticed to discard that option[/i]. It is the risk of failure that allows true successes.