Terry Sarten: Online trolling, a game of trivial pursuits

The satirical pursuit of trivia has become a major game with trolls lurking in every corner of social media waiting to pounce.

This column has been a weekly task for around 10 years. I have received a range of feedback.

It has all been thoughtful and civilised but I am aware that many who do put their head above the parapet and offer an opinion have had viciously worded responses critiquing the writer's birth certificate, legitimacy, sexual orientation, gender, cultural perspective, right to exist and the possibility of imminent assassination.

The word Troll was until recently a character in a children's story - the Billy Goats Gruff had a bit of hassle with a Troll under a bridge. They dealt with this in a clever way by appealing to the Trolls greed and stupidity. Maybe there is a lesson there.

There is a clear dynamic in which every online view attracts an opposite fervent point of view. In itself this is not a problem.

Everyone has a right to express their views but the speed this can accelerate from zero to hectoring response then to death threats is mindboggling.

The following is a fictional exchange to illustrate how the pursuit of something minor and trivial can bring out the worst in people. The satirical dialogue below alludes to jet trail conspiracies.

Posting: There is clear well researched evidence that the vapour trails left in the sky by jets are not chemtrails created by secret underground government organisations to make the populace stupid. The idea that these jet trails are somehow a risk is incorrect. Please stop writing about this as the world has enough crazy conspiracy theories already.

Troll: What do you know. Have you ever stood below one of theses chemtrails and felt your intelligence collapsing into something resembling cold custard? I have. It is a terrible feeling. It is a sure sign of how a secret cabal of powerful people are taking over our brains. Your opinion is worth nothing. You have never personally experienced the dangerous effect of this world-wide conspiracy so you do not have any right to offer some sort of no-thinking, f***ed up opinion!!!!

Posting: I can provide you with the link to dozens of well researched studies that show that jet trails are completely harmless to people below. Admittedly some of these academic papers contain lots of scientific jargon but if you only read the conclusion section this should give you some good information. The secret cabal you mention – who are they?

Troll: You are clearly another one of those gay, liberal, toe sucking middle class jerks who have turned a blind eye to the dangers posed by chemtrails. You are probably a member of the secret cabal and just laying low, waiting to take over the world by buying all the houses in my suburb one at a time. I could read the scientific papers but they are all lies. The long words are just another way to hide the truth from people.

Posting: I respect your right to have an opinion but the lack of any scientific reasoning does undermine your argument. (What has the toe sucking bit have to do with anything?)

Troll: Are you saying I am stupid? If anybody is the dumb one its you. The world does not need more people like you. You should all die horrible deaths and then be made to die all over again at least twice. Stay on your side of the planet – the earth is flat so I hope YOU FALL OFF AND DIE IN SPACE OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL YOU ARE DEAD.

Result: Posting 1 Troll 0.

Terry Sarten is a satirist/ writer, musician and social worker. Feedback welcome/ death threats will go unanswered: tgs@inspire.net.nz