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>His real life and his virtual life were completely separate. Whoa, whoa, whoa - that's maybe something a person like Eris would say, as some kind of defense,
by 6stringmerc 11y ago
>His real life and his virtual life were completely separate.
Whoa, whoa, whoa - that's maybe something a person like Eris would say, as some kind of defense, but even after faking suicide, getting a fresh start, and going back? No, they're not separate. That's an addiction[1].
This whole story reads like a functioning heroin addict who finally can't hold it all together anymore. I completely understand there's a great deal of trauma and history to acknowledge - depression and physiological issues are not minor things to be brushed aside in discussion. Context does matter.
All that noted, what a selfish way to go through life. What a perfect example of lessons to teach young people about interactions online, in that shared community values (morals? ethics?) aren't baked into the online experience - in fact, quite the opposite. The freedom can be abused, and having some personal buffer zones is important, otherwise a person will end up lying to themselves and others like Eris, saying that they have a real life, which is just one of the many lies they will tell to make themselves feel better.
[1] Speaking from experience in online gaming community multiplayer Half-Life, which was a significant social outlet in conjuntion with the GamersX and eventual stand-alone [R]age Board for Elites. A lot of this story is familiar, both good and bad memories. RIP Neo Babson Maximus.
- EC1 11y agoSome people just like it. It's not an addiction, there's no "reason", it's just fun to be a dick online. Why does nobody ever think of this? There always has to be some sort of grand underlying psychological reason. You're reaching much too deep into it, even comparing it to Heroine addiction. Just, wow.
- 6stringmerc 11y agoAs noted I was basing some things on personal experience and observations, so while he might "just like" being a dick online there's this thing called biology which can influence why we like the things we like. >You're reaching much too deep into it, even comparing it to Heroine addiction. Just, wow. If you're going to talk down at me, at least spell heroin right or don't bother. I'm already familiar with the Greater Internet F-Wad Theory.
- bobby_9x 11y ago"it's just fun to be a dick online." Because someone who would go to those lengths to just 'be a dick online' has an underlying psychological problem. They get off on it, and it's not something a healthy society should want to continue.
- cuckcuckspruce 11y agoAt what point does that behavior become escapism, especially given that these actions took place on a forum for a game where you're very explicitly allowed to be trollish?
- jsmthrowaway 11y agoI would contend that: (a) everyone universally fantasizes about nonconformity at one time or another (go ahead, disagree), (b) almost everyone has too much of a stake in their life to actually follow through on it, so they bottle it up, (c) a number of hobbies exist to "blow off [that] steam" or otherwise find catharsis, but not everyone finds these, (d) those who troll like this have found their hobby that works for them and are actually more psychologically healthy than those who have not. Just a theory. I've known some trolls who are easily among the smartest, sanest people in the world, and who are totally normal in all other aspects of their lives. Some are dear friends. This activity has been described in these terms by more than one of them. Countercultural behavior is practically a rhythm throughout history, and trolling is the Internet's counterculture, which can be mean because of anonymity. Some people go too far with it, yes. Some people go too far with anything, though. My point is be careful ascribing psychological illness to something you do not understand. That is crazy. Trolls don't care what you think. If you and many others respond by calling them crazy, what are you really saying? Think about it. Appealing to a good and decent society that ought to do something about this menace is pretty strange, too. I have trolled before. I'm not good at it, but I have. I can vouch for the positive feeling it produces and I've come to terms with what that means about me and my self. This is the thesis of numerous psychological works as well as, say, Fight Club (it's uncanny how well that story fits the big points I hit on, including taking it too far and plurality of self, and I don't think anyone disagrees that Palahniuk was onto something).
- mwfunk 11y agoI think you're missing the point. If someone gets off on being a dick to other people in any context, whether it's online or in person, then that person has a psychological problem. They are under the impression that what they do online is not connected with "real life", and they enjoy being a dick to other people. Both of those things are very negative qualities for a kid to have (although not uncommon, because kids), but if someone still has both of those qualities as an adult then yes, it is absolutely a symptom of a psychological problem.
- rconti 11y agoTrolls are vandals. They subtract value from the community. They are worse than useless.