Trolls and emotional leeches

[LoopyLoopsBettyBoops]

Why do they do it? I just don't get it. Recent trolly threads about tokophobia (particularly the stillbirth one) have been really distressing for a lot of people. Why would you want that? I just don't get it.

hehe BOF

Elitist=bored teenagers

Arf. We weren't particularly elite, just elitist in that whole teen "I'm better than everyone else" way

It's not even that exciting either - we were a group of budding writers/roleplayers [nerd emoticon] and we used to pick on the "illiterates" as they were collectively known - usually younger kids on the site in question who were bad at spelling and grammar and had rubbish plotlines ... people that didn't live up to our pedants' standards, basically.

It's only now I realise, that's how the sort of trolls we get on here get started.

If you tell me what thread I'll report it too.
The thing with trolls is they are bored, mainly school holidays etc and find it amusing to cause mayhem on here and other sites. Some threads are funny but mainly they are hurtful and cruel. I think in the last week alone I've reported more threads then ever before.
There's the bloke that got banned by MN he was back here yesterday on sone thread saying yes I was banned but changed my name and I'm back. Whats all that about? Reported it to MN and he's still on here, I give up.

I remember when I was about 14/15, long before the days of the internet, when we used to find it funny to call random people in the phone book.
It was usually daft things about lost budgies or such like, but I do remember we called someone and told her her husband was having an affair, and she seemed to believe it .
I'm 54 now so it was a long time ago but when I see threads like this, it does bring back memories. We just didn't think about the consequences.
Having said that, I think most MNers can tell if it's silly teenagers, and can treat them like the idiots they are.
But though I can usually recognise an emotional troll at ten paces, I can never be sure 100%, so say nothing. It's against the rules and if you dare show any doubts and challenge it everybody who does believe it is suddenly on your back.
Now I just hide the thread.

That's why I told someone off on here today :(
Someone did a post about a delete thread, asking what had happened to the op I got very mad and said the op probably got the post deleted and to stop rubbernecking and wanting to know the latest update. Im getting too sensitive in my own age.

Me too please

LadyBeagle, many years ago, I used to work in the Port of Dover. There was an Internal Phone Directory. One of the entries was "Internal Cleaner".

We used to phone on a regular basis and say "Is that the Internal Cleaner?" Yes, he would say. "Weill I need you to to come right away and sweep out my back passage."

And how we laughed . I feel a bit sorry for him now....

Tut tut beer

Can someone tell us what thread please

I think it was deleted.

I know the one ...I read the first few posts and thought

so I ignored it

No - still there

Upsetting content though - beware.

And please bear in mind that this poster is most likely not genuine.

I've only really skimmed the thread but jeez is the op for real?

We used to ring up and ask for Mr Wall. No?, Mrs Wall?, no? David Wall? NO?

and then say so theres no walls in your house at all?

and yell better get out quick then before it falls down.

.

OP sadly YANBU. I tend to stick in ceratin areas of MN. Mainly because they're what I need. I would be devastated to find someone was trolling about something that affected me personally.

I hope anyone who's read and been affected by the posts (not seen them) is OK.

I'm curious now, about the thread ypu're all talking about.
If someone could pm me, thank you, I'm not being voyeuristic, I'm just being nosey.

I just don't know what the best response to these kind of threads is, I used to be in the report and ignore camp but if lots of people report and it's still not deleted what use is reporting?

It really doesn't make much difference if the OP is a troll or not - the way s/he wrote is vile. The unborn child was referred to as though it were a tumour, something to be removed as quickly as possible. I've not known anyone in RL who's gone through stillbirth but, from what I've read on here, people who have been through it still consider the babies to be much loved members of their family. Can threads be deleted just for being tasteless and insensitive though?

If you totally suspend disbelief and try to imagine the situation happened as described I'd imagine the friend was traumatised by her birth partner's attitude far more than method of delivery.

I posted the think nary 5 posts ago....