Towards a Taxonomy of Political Trolls OR Filling a Neologism Vacuum.

[L. Coyote]

The Taxonomy of Political Trolls.

Unlike Internet trolls generally, the political trolls, a distinct genera (Homoferus), remain poorly described.
The genus name derives from the combined form of:
homo hominis : human being, man + ferus : fierce, wild, savage, untamed.
It would be helpful to have clearer descriptions and nomenclature to deal with these pesky ratf**kers!

To start, we need to do more work to describe the Dem bashing species. They are not Homoferus blemmus (blemmings), the trolls that try to lead everyone off a cliff into irrelevancy. They are not Homoferus inundatus, the inundation troll, a recently described species that runs in packs and swamps fora with many posts, typically on an undesirable and negative topic that disrupts normal, productive discourse. However, trolls smearing Dems are a closely related species; they have similar intentions, including to exceed the normal tolerance level of rational people and drive them away.

Any other troll taxonomists have a good name for the Dem-bashing trolls.

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I found this delightful set of readings on trolls in a feminist blog. It is a good troll discussion starting point.
Although not providing essential neologisms like Latin binomials, :rofl: I nonetheless found it highly entertaining.

Know Thine Enemy- Species of Troll
Filed under: Feminism, The Troll Files — Laurelin in the Rain
May 17, 2006 - http://laurelin.wordpress.com/2006/05/09/the-nature-of-the-troll/

Disclaimer: I know I said that trolls are best ignored, and I stand by that opinion- not that I'm always level-headed enough to take my own advice. But I think it helps to have a field guide of troll species, so that feminists can be prepared for the delusional onslaught.

The 'U Whoredykebitchprude' Troll - A member of this species can usually be relied upon to prove whichever point it was that you made in the post they were replying to. It is nice and easy to weed out, and the delete button was invented as a response to its banal utterances. Argument and logic is beyond this species, and it is blissfully unaware that its saying it is so doesn't make it so. Not much point in trying to talk to these .....

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Species of Troll II- More Varieties Spotted
http://laurelin.wordpress.com/2006/05/19/species-of-troll-ii-more-varieties-spotted/

Other species of troll that I neglected to mention in my last post were pointed out to me by other bloggers who find themselves Troll-watching on a regular basis. Here are new definitions of these other strange beings of the Troll genus. I hope to produce the first comprehensive Troll Dictionary for the use of feminist bloggers. I am also considering the Troll Species Drinking Game, where for every appearance of one particular type of troll, or stupid troll sentiment expressed one must down a shot of one's favourite beverage.

Wilfully Ignorant Troll - There is one positive aspect to this troll- it is already aware that it doesn't know its arse from its elbow, and so the discerning blogger needn't feel obliged to inform it of that fact. However, it lacks the part of the brain that deals with Personal Responsibility for Knowing Shit,

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The Nature of the Troll
http://laurelin.wordpress.com/2006/05/09/the-nature-of-the-troll/

When I see troll comments, I always imagine the author to be a little furry green monster jumping up to bite at feminist ankles, adorned with a permanent scowl which is the result of chowing down daily on a diet of The Daily Mail, Nuts, Zoo, Ann Coulter and MRA ‘literature’. Unfortunately, although I have not to my knowledge seen any of the trolls I have fought with in the flesh, I believe that they are actual human beings out there, in the world. Now that sucks like a vacuum. ........

[Warpy]

1. Everything you never wanted to know about trolls

http://www.io.com/~zikzak/troll_thesis.html

Abstract

Internet trolling has been around since the earliest days of Usenet, although the art of Polemic discourse from which it arose can of course be traced back to the ancient Greeks. General social consensus at the time of this writing is that in a medium free from simple repressive censorship such as the Internet, trolling is an unwelcome yet unavoidable aspect of modern communications. The application of collective behavioral research techniques, however, show a possibly emerging social movement, complete with the substantial controversy that ironically mirrors that surrounding Ptolemy's own work. This paper shall make inquiry into the anthropological forces at work in this changing medium and evaluate the possibility of current trends to develop into a fully realized social movement based on unwelcome discourse and the possible effects of repression from the conservative majority.

[L. Coyote]

2. While interesting, this paper's scope or breath does not include political trolls

Political trolls come in many more species than Dhala's definition encompasses, me thinks.

troll ...
1. To utter a posting on Usenet designed to attract predictable responses or flames; or, the post itself. Derives from the phrase "trolling for newbies" which in turn comes from mainstream "trolling", a style of fishing in which one trails bait through a likely spot hoping for a bite. The well-constructed troll is a post that induces lots of newbies and flamers to make themselves look even more clueless than they already do, while subtly conveying to the more savvy and experienced that it is in fact a deliberate troll. If you don't fall for the joke, you get to be in on it. ...
2. An individual who chronically trolls in sense 1; regularly posts specious arguments, flames or personal attacks to a newsgroup, discussion list, or in email for no other purpose than to annoy someone or disrupt a discussion. Trolls are recognizable by the fact that the have no real interest in learning about the topic at hand - they simply want to utter flame bait. Like the ugly creatures they are named after, they exhibit no redeeming characteristics, and as such, they are recognized as a lower form of life on the net, as in, "Oh, ignore him, he's just a troll." ...

[L. Coyote]

3. WTF, is it Blemmings over the Cliff Week at DU again? Or Make Trolls Rejoice Day?

We are drowning once again in irrelevancies, old, worn-out isues, and deep doo doo while the War on Iraq wages on. Imagine being a soldier in Iraq ttoday and reading DU, or an Iraqi citizen in a refugee camp. And all you read is tasers, Kerry bashing ... If one more damn post on this starts, it will officially be over the cliff week.

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Blemming, noun, a blog lemming, a nuisance person or thread calling attention to and enthusiastic about a distracting topic

Blemming, verb. to distract from an important issue with irrelevancies, to blemish or inundate a reasonable discussion with extraeous issues

Usage: Blemmings often lead the herd over a cliff to drown in a sea of irrelevancy.

Synonym: Online ratf*cker.

Gooooogling blemming: I was surprised to see a usage for "blemming" online. And one so suited to what I thought would be a truly fresh neologism. This from Jan 25, 2004. - http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=blemming

1. blemming
To be a nuisance to;
To call attention to;
To be enthusiastic about;
To bring on a trip .....

[L. Coyote]

4. Hit and run posters on DU. Homoferus evanescens

CTyankee Thu Sep-20-07 10:04 AM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1856545

Hit and run posters on DU.

I've noticed a few of those recently. The OP posts a really provocative statement and then vanishes, not responding to any DUers who have commented.

Anybody else notice this? What's your theory about them?


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I guess we can call the "hit and run" troll Homoferus evanescens.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Wanna see a troll?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1857247#1857426

[L. Coyote]

6. I can't see it: "You are ignoring the author of this thread"