This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »
Are you bothered by Cyber Bully's and Trolls?
Are you bothered by Cyber Bully’s, Trolls --people with overly aggressive behavior that cause disruptions in social media locations on the Internet? Cyber Bullying is a sign of a mental disorder. It can be found in the most brilliant of minds as well as the simplest of personalities.
You’ve seen the video and you’ve posed the question or debate. Your ready to be further enlightened by you peers and fellow TEDsters and in comes this one character with an agenda that moderators can’t detect.
Cyber Bully’s or Trolls, insult our intelligence use canned phrases, innuendos, or the blunt force of their superior command of language to hurt our feelings or illicit anger from the group. It can leave you feeling helpless and abused.
Cyber Bullying, or Trolling, is a new form of eliciting personal pleasure by hurting other peoples feelings. Some Physiologists say it is a sign of a mental disorder, perhaps a new form, associated with the Internet. Some say it’s just an old mental malfunction that has found a new venue to elicit twisted pleasure. The more intelligent the disordered mind the more damage it can do. It doesn’t matter if they are a high profile celebrity or an Associate Professor at some University, they are all subject to the same array of mental conflicts as ordinary people.
Sometimes the Internet is not enough and they cross the line, allowing their problems to spill out into the real world where they cause real physical harm. The harm they cause to the feelings of others on the Internet is no less, emotionally painful. It demeans people on a human level hurting the mind and, sometimes, those minds are fragile, or childish or, in fact, children.
The question is, what should we do about Cyber Bullying and Trolls. How can we deal with them? If we stand by and do nothing are we just as guilty as a crowd of people standing by watching a mugger do their work without interfering for fear we will be next? What do you suggest?
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Peter Law 30+
TED is a beacon, but not entirely without bullies & trolls. When I take a hit, it is very encouraging for someone to weigh in on my side. Even if they don't agree with me, it is nice to get a little sympathy. I try & practice what I preach on this one.
Often a new participant is scared off entirely by bullying behaviour. I've got used to it & tend just to ignore such behaviour, reasoning that others can make the judgement between us. Usually these folks have no rational position with which to debate & indulge in negative stereotypes. Why feed them when others can educate us with reasoned argument ?
:-)
John Moonstroller 20+
I think the simple statement, "you are behaving like a troll" can sometimes get their attention, if not flung in their face with other contributory inflections. Please be at peace has worked for me sometimes.
If someone is smarter than the rest, they need to consider that when participating in a group discussion, not everyone is an expert, in their field; and, it works both ways. When you speak of things with authority that you are not an authority on, you should step out of the way and let more authoritative people take over the argument or invite an authority in to assist. The burden of getting the message across in a thoughtful and meaningful way is upon the speaker, not the audience. We have too many Rush Limbaugh want-a-be's and other Trolls and CB's in the real world. Let us have peace on the internet.
I have asked TED to implement an ignore button. Perhaps others might suggest it. It doesn't have to have a permanent list function but could have. It could reset itself when a user signs out. I use the Newest first and oldest first selections to find clarity in a discussion. I sometimes go back and read post made by some authors as much a three or so years to get some idea of how to properly engage them in dialog.
Ted has offered us videos that point to a more mature environment where data is released to the general public for scrutiny so we can accelerate our quest for knowledge. They should also join in this effort by offering us the data so we can do amazing things with it ourselves. :)
John Moonstroller 20+
Sometimes, because people are associated with a prestigious class of individuals or group, they are given a pass on intense scrutiny because of characteristics, sometimes associated with these individuals, such as, sensitivity and egotistical, eccentricity. The emphasis on identifying online C-Bully or Trolls is on the exhibited pattern of behavior while online.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-crime-professorbre88n0p2-20120924,0,6017841.story
Fritzie Reisner 100+
I know that any demographic could be involved in bullying behaviors, but I see nothing in my reading to suggest that highly educated and successful people are at all typical candidates. The profiles in the online literature are typically not of self-assured people, for example.
Envy or competitiveness with the target are put forward as some of the most common motivations, much as they are in bullying relationships involving adolescent girls.
I am noting this here only because your emphasis in your comments here gave me the mistaken impression (which I know you did not intend) that the highly educated/prestigious person had been found to be an important and common category of perpetrator.
John Moonstroller 20+
Fritzie, the smarter you are the more believable lie you can create.
If you only rake in 70-80K after taxes, it's still hard to afford that lady friend if you're ugly, short and only have a PhD. The smart, pretty girls at the top are completely unaffordable. They want marriage and a gold plated nuptial agreement.