Banter Voices

Serious Question: Is There a Difference Between a Troll and a Glenn Beck Commenter?

By Ben Cohen · March 08,2013

| 102 Views | Politics Society and Culture

Glenn Beck Fan?

There was this very serious comment thread on Glenn Beck commenters that I think deserves more thought:

If you think about the kind of people who regard Glenn Beck as a serious political commentator; paranoid white guys who are angry, and very slightly educated, they fight the exact profile of an internet troll. Could it be that Glenn Beck’s new site TheBlaze, is in fact the meeting place for all trolls on the internet, a safe space where they can roam free and abuse liberals and each other without interference? It looks like there is no comment moderation whatsoever over there, and probably deliberately so. If they banned the trolls, then it’s not clear anyone would actually come to the site….

dbtheonly

Ben,

To avoid being mired in definitions, I’ll first suggest that “troll” is in the eye of the beholder. Agreeing with you makes the poster wise, erudite, and well spoken. A “troll” disagrees with you. Such that if you &/or I were to visit & post on the Blaze we’d be the “trolls”.

Next, I’ll go further & assert that a ‘troll” has as a goal; the disruption of the discussion of the topic. Whether by personal insults, off topic posts, or “look over there” arguments; the point is to disrupt the discussion. What this means is that disagreement is not trolling.

So no, Beck’s Blaze is not “Trollheim”.

Guessing entirely, ’cause my life’s too short to waste it visiting the site, I’d suggest that there is moderation along many of the same terms you’ve had to impose; albeit with a much different idea of societal norms.

Banter Voices

Serious Question: Is There a Difference Between a Troll and a Glenn Beck Commenter?

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