Why do trolls hate us ?

[contemplationistwolf]

Anyone who hated this fandom would have a very entertaining time just observing the sheer pettiness, the way the people constantly screw themselves and those around them over with their stupidity, and the fact that most people are depressed or have other serious mental health issues.
The trolls wouldn't even need to do anything other than observe the shitshow.

 

[Nexus Cabler]

Anyone who hated this fandom would have a very entertaining time just observing the sheer pettiness, the way the people constantly screw themselves and those around them over with their stupidity, and the fact that most people are depressed or have other serious mental health issues.
The trolls wouldn't even need to do anything other than observe the shitshow.

Yeah, we should hold ourselves responsible for our actions, and try to better manage our fandom in ways we can, but still, that chlorine gas attack at that con or those shooting threats you see online are never acceptable. I agree that criticism is fair, but a lot of people take it way to far sometimes, and deserve to be condemned.

 

[contemplationistwolf]

but still, that chlorine gas attack at that con or those shooting threats you see online are never acceptable.

That's not trolling. That's crime

 

[Deleted member 111470]

Yeah, we should hold ourselves responsible for our actions, and try to better manage our fandom in ways we can, but still, that chlorine gas attack at that con or those shooting threats you see online are never acceptable. I agree that criticism is fair, but a lot of people take it way to far sometimes, and deserve to be condemned.

That is fucked up. It isn't just trolls writing mean things about my stereotypically cheesy fursona - it's attempted murder. There are fandoms and "communities"(groups of people with similar interests) that I don't like, but I wouldn't go out of my way to try and poison them, or have them killed.

 

[Fallowfox]

That is fucked up. It isn't just trolls writing mean things about my stereotypically cheesy fursona - it's attempted murder. There are fandoms and "communities"(groups of people with similar interests) that I don't like, but I wouldn't go out of my way to try and poison them, or have them killed.

Unfortunately if it's cool to hate a group of people as 'degenerate' this sort of thing ends up happening sooner or later.

Anyway Rimna, your fursona is pretty unique! You're the only monkey I know.

 

[KimberVaile]

I've noticed that a lot of people who are singled out as targets for trolling are minors, or have autistic spectral diagnoses/social anxiety.
So I'm reluctant to say that trolling happens because people who get trolled invite or deserve it- and there's not really a straight forward solution.

A lot of trolls probably have their own deep personal problems as well- we kinda forget that they're real people who've made the active decision that they want to spend their youth indoors sending acidic messages to other people's children.

I didn't say they deserve it, but I did say there are quite a few ways to stop it from snowballing, the best method being to simply ignore it or just play off what a troll might say. They're looking for a reaction, and if you decide to give in, well you already are playing they game they want.

Learning to laugh at yourself implies confidence and acceptance of yourself, so I'd readily encourage people to do it once in a while.

 

[MaelstromEyre]

I honestly can't blame people for trolling furries.

As it's been said, the fandom makes itself a target. Some of that is purely because of what the fandom is, or what the fandom is often represented as to the public.

But. . .a lot of the hatred comes from the actual behavior, online and in RL, of furries themselves.

A lot of them have pattern behavior of being annoying or creepy, like the obsession with unsolicited "huggy" RP or spamming online chat with annoying sounds. Some of the worst behavior I have seen among story-based roleplayers has come from "furry" characters who could not cope with the disappointment of not being special, all-powerful and unique characters. . .the center of every story and scene.

And, the cry of "but I don't behave because autism" has worn itself out whenever someone in the fandom gets in trouble.

 

[Fallowfox]

I didn't say they deserve it, but I did say there are quite a few ways to stop it from snowballing, the best method being to simply ignore it or just play off what a troll might say. They're looking for a reaction, and if you decide to give in, well you already are playing they game they want.

Learning to laugh at yourself implies confidence and acceptance of yourself, so I'd readily encourage people to do it once in a while.

Eh. A lot of the posts in this thread imply that, when it comes to online bullying and malicious communication, that this happens because the target deserves it (see the post above mine for a good example), or because the target is pathetic and unable to deal with it.

Realistically the internet is always going to be a target-rich environment, because there will always be kids who upload embarrassing videos and so on.

Too little attention is falling on the fact that, in a world of mature adults, nobody should be sending malicious messages to strangers in the first place.
Personally I think this occurs because a lot of the people trolling actually have their own unresolved social problems- so the online behaviour lets them be their own little tyrant king. Instead of feeling inferior to everybody else, they get to be the one who makes other people feel bad.

The archetypal case might be a troll who tries to embarrass people by finding and sharing those people's awkward sexual fantasies in public- and it turns out that the troll themselves is a paedophile and that this is their means of externalising their own self hatred.

 

[KimberVaile]

Eh. A lot of the posts in this thread imply that, when it comes to online bullying and malicious communication, that this happens because the target deserves it (see the post above mine for a good example), or because the target is pathetic and unable to deal with it.

Realistically the internet is always going to be a target-rich environment, because there will always be kids who upload embarrassing videos and so on.

Too little attention is falling on the fact that, in a world of mature adults, nobody should be sending malicious messages to strangers in the first place.
Personally I think this occurs because a lot of the people trolling actually have their own unresolved social problems- so the online behaviour lets them be their own little tyrant king. Instead of feeling inferior to everybody else, they get to be the one who makes other people feel bad.

The archetypal case might be a troll who tries to embarrass people by finding and sharing those people's awkward sexual fantasies in public- and it turns out that the troll themselves is a paedophile and that this is their means of externalising their own self hatred.

There are a lot of aspects about the fandom I do genuinely loathe. The self seriousness of such a silly hobby does kind of annoy me sometimes, I especially despise when the fandom goes for bat for figures like Kero and try to give a pass to animal abusers or when certain, rather worrisome types try to normalize cub porn. It makes me ashamed to be a part of the fandom when those sorts become unbearably loud and vocal. So, I'd say it certainly depends on the context. Some of the furries do deserve some of the flak they get, I mean, I would hope an unapologetic zoophile/cub porn advocate get some sort of push back. It's always been odd to me that furries are reluctant to speak up about these things and cover for those types.

But if we're just talking about furries who have autism and are having a hard time understand social norms, then obviously they don't deserve it and on some part it would fall on the community to provide a good role model help guide them in the right direction. So at times the community is somewhat at fault when those furries are not getting good guidance and still having troubles adjusting.
And sure, trolls usually have some sort of chip on their shoulder, or deep seated issue that usually motivates them, though often times it's just the nature of the internet too. It's easier to be an asswipe online, and easier to forget there's another person on the other side of the screen who is serving as the butt of your attacks. One of the less discussed downsides of online interaction. It's certainly not a justification for the trolling, but it plays it's part in how that manifests.

 

[KimberVaile]

Goodness, I just realized this was a necro-ed thread from 2008. Aint that something? I wonder sometimes how different the experience would have been if I joined the website that early. If any of you 08 posters happen to see this, indulge me! With first or second hand accounts about 08 FAF preferably..pretty please?

 

[NetanDakabi]

i think people like to follow and fall into a group and when there are people who don't they see them as danger.

weirdos will always be hated by the people who want to be normal but it's always the weird ones who do anything important.

 

[Fallowfox]

There are a lot of aspects about the fandom I do genuinely loathe. The self seriousness of such a silly hobby does kind of annoy me sometimes, I especially despise when the fandom goes for bat for figures like Kero and try to give a pass to animal abusers or when certain, rather worrisome types try to normalize cub porn. It makes me ashamed to be a part of the fandom when those sorts become unbearably loud and vocal. So, I'd say it certainly depends on the context. Some of the furries do deserve some of the flak they get, I mean, I would hope an unapologetic zoophile/cub porn advocate get some sort of push back. It's always been odd to me that furries are reluctant to speak up about these things and cover for those types.

But if we're just talking about furries who have autism and are having a hard time understand social norms, then obviously they don't deserve it and on some part it would fall on the community to provide a good role model help guide them in the right direction. So at times the community is somewhat at fault when those furries are not getting good guidance and still having troubles adjusting.
And sure, trolls usually have some sort of chip on their shoulder, or deep seated issue that usually motivates them, though often times it's just the nature of the internet too. It's easier to be an asswipe online, and easier to forget there's another person on the other side of the screen who is serving as the butt of your attacks. One of the less discussed downsides of online interaction. It's certainly not a justification for the trolling, but it plays it's part in how that manifests.

What I'd say is that anybody promoting illegal or harmful activity like those mentioned should find themselves removed from social media.
and you know, same with trolls sending torrents of malicious or obscene communications to strangers.

If somebody was doing that with letters or telephone calls, they'd be identified and would face prosecution. Rather than it being the job of the community to tech vulnerable people how to cope with being bullied, it should just be that notorious trolls end up getting criminal records for abusing computer systems- with more serious consequences for those who target children.

 

[KimberVaile]

What I'd say is that anybody promoting illegal or harmful activity like those mentioned should find themselves removed from social media.
and you know, same with trolls sending torrents of malicious or obscene communications to strangers.

If somebody was doing that with letters or telephone calls, they'd be identified and would face prosecution. Rather than it being the job of the community to tech vulnerable people how to cope with being bullied, it should just be that notorious trolls end up getting criminal records for abusing computer systems- with more serious consequences for those who target children.

That's a slippery slope, and not terribly practical/feasible to police the internet like that.

 

[Troj]

Unfortunately if it's cool to hate a group of people as 'degenerate' this sort of thing ends up happening sooner or later.

Not to mention, "degenerate" is a common Nazi dogwhistle, and people who think it's cute to use it should probably be asked to explain themselves.

We may never know who perpetrated the chlorine attack at MFF and why they did it, but if we run with one of the popular hypotheses, I think it shows the importance of taking stochastic terrorism and the like seriously, because it always starts with dehumanizing rhetoric being repeated often enough to be eventually taken for granted.

As for some of the other things y'all brought up, yes, I think more people could absolutely stand to be coached on how to handle trolls and critics better, but Fallowfox is right that we need to be wary of treating trolls like the weather, and effectively blaming bullying victims for making themselves "attractive" to trolls. (Does that argument sound familiar, perhaps?)

Kimber in particular also flagged how the fandom is sometimes too tolerant and forgiving for its own good, and too focused on impression management and circling the wagons, to the point where toxic and disruptive behavior and dangerous and hurtful people either get a pass, or are otherwise allowed to slip through the cracks. MaelstromEyre is right that "but my autism" can sometimes become a get-out-of-jail card that ends up hurting both the individual who's learned to over-rely on that card and everyone else around them. (At the same time, we still need to be appropriately empathetic and patient with folks who have certain struggles or issues, but are doing their absolute best to manage them.)

From there, the question of how to regulate social media is a huge, complicated question. Yes, some form of regulation is necessary and important for the safety and satisfaction of all, but how to go about that is obviously easier said than done. You've got to figure out how to create rules and standards that can't readily be misinterpreted, distorted, abused, or over-extended, and you've also got to consider how social media platforms will be inclined to create rules and policies that ultimately favor them, theirs, and their preferred status quo.

 

[NitroFastFur]

Maybe they think we are just like hairy emos

With quarantine that's a reality which is getting ever closer!