Not to stick up for antagonists but the baiting thing is right and wrong, nobody forces anybody to respond to unwanted comments, in doing so and engaging the antagonist you become as bad as them..you can lead a horse to water..but you cannot make him drink it.
To defeat your enemy you have to understand how he/she thinks.
Let me tell you a little story about Trolls.
Trolls for the most part are very lonely creatures, some would say its because they are scary outcasts who try as they may, never seem to fit in.
Its pure desperation, loneliness is a very powerful motivator, when it reaches a point to where the loneliness becomes unbearable they come out from under their bridges and seek out companionship, alas sometimes even those attempts to be heard, to have a voice, to just feel welcomed and accepted..fail, then anger takes over, in such a desperate plea for attention, they strike out in ways that engages others so as to force people to communicate with them.
Then there is the other type of troll, the pure anarchist that loves and lives for chaos and discord, who laughs in the face of manners and civility..they will be heard, they NEED to be heard, and will stoop to any low needed to accomplish it.
The trick lies in learning to differentiate between the two types of trolls.
I say have compassion for the outcast lonely troll, because don't we all want to be accepted ?
As for the jolly roger troll, there is only one defense against their chaos and discord.
Do NOT under any circumstances ever ever feed it, never respond no matter how tempting, no matter how angry it made you.
Because like any living thing, if it does not eat it will eventually die, but trolls are not stupid, self preservation will kick in and the troll will seek life elsewhere, where the is more food on the table.
I hope you enjoy this lesson on Trolls, once many years ago I was once a lonely type Troll so I know this is accurate..I am quite lonely right now in fact, hence this lesson.
You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink.
Mike
