Why you're more troll than you think
You know that moment when somebody has you so riled that you're getting ready to cross the rubicon and strike back? Danny O'Brien explains that it's almost certainly best to just write it out and press delete - since
you're probably closer to being a troll than you think.
People think trolls are other people: He/she is a troll, you are a feisty opponent, while I merely have strong opinions. And it's true that some people do turn into trolls full-time, presumably while growing hair out of their ears and developing a head-under-shoulders look (or is that gonks?). But really, we're all just one "submit" button away from being a troll.
I always enjoy that moment of self-restraint when, instead of launching into a flame, I sit back, press delete and feel the warm glow of smugness envelop me. And the best part? If you never actually make your flames public, nobody can ever shatter the illusion that your weak comeback was not a piece of genius.
(Comic from
xkcd)
Bobbie Johnson Monday September 29 2008 07:38 BST guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2008