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Whenever I’ve imagined these trolls, I’ve always envisioned balding, middle-aged men sitting in their mom’s basement and snickering as they stir up trouble on t

by Kenji 11y ago

Whenever I’ve imagined these trolls, I’ve always envisioned balding, middle-aged men sitting in their mom’s basement and snickering as they stir up trouble on the random websites. Or maybe skinny, teenagers and/or college students with acne busting out all over their forehead, patting themselves on the back and feeling superior to all the stupid internet people who fall for their prank. He is not balding. He is not socially awkward. Whoa whoa. Why the hate against skinny or balding or middle-aged men? Those are perfectly decent people. And why does she consider the trolling of her boyfriend like being cheated on? That's a complete non-sequitur, he is not your slave, he is your boyfriend. Wow, he did something she did not know in his spare time. Big deal. What a self-made problem.

gist 11y ago
She is building him up in her brain as someone that he's not. Similar to what people do with those they respect in authority positions or very accomplished. "Wow look at the way that Paul Graham gets yelled at by his mother that's so surprising!". Also I think you have to separate the "balding middle age" from those that "are middle age that live in Mom's basement". Living in Mom's basement whether middle aged or not (regardless of hair loss) is probably makes you (except if there are mitigating circumstances) what we would perhaps call "a loser". Otoh it's clear that being middle aged and bald is literally meaningless in terms of what you have achieved and something you have no control over (unlike having to live in your mom's basement except if there are mitigating circumstances). [1] Now notice I said "mitigating circumstances" so yes there are valid reasons why someone might have to live with their mother (at any point) but as a generality if you were taking a 100 people like that not the case. [1] Notice even with this that if your mom was wealthy and she had an estate and you lived in a big house with a wing of your own (or an outhouse) it wouldn't be viewed the same way but perhaps even with a halo around it. So specifically here the issues is "basement" or "ordinary house bedroom" that causes the deprecation of the individual (as well as the age). Edit: Explanation of downvotes would be appreciated.

by Kenji 11y ago

gist 11y ago

She is building him up in her brain as someone that he's not. Similar to what people do with those they respect in authority positions or very accomplished. "Wow look at the way that Paul Graham gets yelled at by his mother that's so surprising!". Also I think you have to separate the "balding middle age" from those that "are middle age that live in Mom's basement". Living in Mom's basement whether middle aged or not (regardless of hair loss) is probably makes you (except if there are mitigating circumstances) what we would perhaps call "a loser". Otoh it's clear that being middle aged and bald is literally meaningless in terms of what you have achieved and something you have no control over (unlike having to live in your mom's basement except if there are mitigating circumstances). [1] Now notice I said "mitigating circumstances" so yes there are valid reasons why someone might have to live with their mother (at any point) but as a generality if you were taking a 100 people like that not the case. [1] Notice even with this that if your mom was wealthy and she had an estate and you lived in a big house with a wing of your own (or an outhouse) it wouldn't be viewed the same way but perhaps even with a halo around it. So specifically here the issues is "basement" or "ordinary house bedroom" that causes the deprecation of the individual (as well as the age). Edit: Explanation of downvotes would be appreciated.