A few months ago, I blogged here that I couldn’t wait for the new dislike button on Facebook, so that I can start disliking comments and pictures thus effectively becoming a Facebook troll . Well that dream is out the proverbial window now that Facebook have decided against the button.
Secretly I am glad they reached that decision because a Facebook troll who goes around clicking away disliking posts on Facebook, is one step away from being an Internet troll who actually goes around and takes the time writing negative comments on every post the come across.
I belong to a Nigerian LGBT online forum (blog) kitodiaries. Its main intention is to act as a forum where Nigerian LGBT persons can speak out against the hostile legalized homophobic environment they live in. A forum where homophobic attacks can be reported, attackers identified and other gay people warned about the attackers. More importantly, it lets other LGBT people in Nigeria know that they are not alone. In other words an online sanctuary of sorts.
Sometimes comments are used to throw shade (to talk trash about another person; to publicly denounce or disrespect) at others, perhaps to inject some humour into a rather dark situation and most times it gets a bit out of hand.
I too have been known to throw shade here and there on the blog, but in a jocular manner as do a majority of the other participants. However, there a few resident participants on the forum who take it a notch higher and go out of their way to tear others down, for no discernable reason other than the person being trashed opined on a post.
One in particular, not content with eviscerating his chosen target(s) on the blog, takes it out of the forum, goes on Twitter and tweets vile stuff about his chosen target(s).And when he is ignored (as yours truly did by blocking him on Twitter) he visits my blog and posts a backhanded comment:
In the above example, he starts by giving a kind of positive-ish feedback, but rounds it off in one sentence by giving his views on black gay men in their forties with a healthy sexual appetite. Left to him we would all be put down. Trust me this is one of his kinder comments.
That’s not all. His opinions on gay issues would leave gay activists the world over in shock and his opinion of African Americans would make the Klu Klux Klan offer him in life membership. Incase you were wondering, yes this troll is in his twenties, black, gay and rumoured to be a fan of skin lightening creams.
This article originally published in Queerty by John Carroll earlier this week and brought to my attention by another blogger, aptly describes him.
PS watch out for the backlash in the comments section, after he reads this. It could be quite entertaining. Who knows if i survive it, I might write a follow up.
Everyone knows the age-old saying “opinions are like assholes; everybody has one.” Well, never has that asshole smelled more putrid than when offered up by the type of person referred to as an “Internet Troll,” — the Bitter Bettys who negatively comment on anything and everything posted on the Internet.Why just read many of the comments on this site alone. It’s always the same negative people posting the same depressing dribble. An article on marriage equality? They hated it! An article on pop culture? “Boo! Hiss!” An article on music, movies, politics, humor, fitness, you name it? They hate it.
Queerty and many other sites don’t allow just anyone to comment on their content. You have to log in to give them a piece of your mind. So the Internet Troll is a rare bird — a dodo bird, if you will. They have to read an article, hate it so much they dust off their username and password, log into the site, navigate their way back to the hated article, barf up their negativity and then press “enter.”
Most people who read an article and have a not-so-positive review tend get on with their lives; however, the Internet Troll has no life to get on with. As the rest of us go to work, spend time with our significant others, family members, friends, and fill the rest of our day with extra curricular activities, the Internet troll has nothing better to do than spend their time negatively commenting on everything. It is their feeble attempt to have a voice, like me trying to sing along to Mariah. Unfortunately, they use this rare opportunity to be heard to tear others down.
Queerty isn’t the only site that has to deal with festering trolls. A dear friend of mine, with a strong social media presence, once told me, “whoever said you are your own worst critic has never read YouTube comments.” Try it sometime. Just make sure you have a glass of wine handy and your therapist on speed dial. The troll is lurking in the shadows, more than happy to tell you your child is ugly, your haircut looks terrible, and your version of “Defying Gravity” never got off the ground.
Internet Trolls tend to have dark personality traits and show signs of sadism, antisocial behavior, and psychopathy — but on the bright side, they excel at hoarding and are a hoot to have at funerals! You’ve seen the movie Mean Girls, right? Well, Internet Trolls are the “Mean Queens,” “The Ladies Who ‘Sent Back’ Lunch,” and “The Queen(s) of the Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t!”
Because of an overall sense of failure in their own lives, they resent anyone who they perceive to have achieved any kind of success. The troll feels slighted by life and can’t fathom how anyone could be given more than their fair share. Someone couldn’t possibly be good-looking and smart, funny and eloquent, talented and successful (…writer takes pause to lovingly stare at himself in the mirror). It’s because of this sad mindset they offer up nothing and contribute even less to society besides spreading hate, like a cancer, on the World Wide Web.
A bottom feeder. A bench warmer. A wall flower. Rather than doing something productive themselves, the Internet Troll sits sedentary and safely behind their computer screen where they vomit up their useless thoughts, bullying anyone who is brave enough to step out of the wings and into the spotlight.
It was either Aristotle, Elbert Hubble or Punky Brewster who once said, “to avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.” However, for creative people, “nothing” is not an option. So go ahead and bravely upload that video of you butchering Adele’s “Hello” beyond tonal recognition. Keep posting blogs about your boring diet, and even more boring work-out routine. And while you’re at it, keep those scantily-clad selfies coming. Take a cue from Bonnie Raitt and give them “Something To Talk About!” If you are choosing to participate in life and live without fear of failure or worse — fear of success, you are already living a better existence than the Internet troll.
Oh, and by the way, after I post this, I’ll be too busy living my life to have time to read all the mean-spirited, troll-inspired comments soon to be posted below. Happy Holidays!
John Carroll is a Broadway performer, writer and activist. For more information on him, go to TheJohnCarroll.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @MrJohnCarroll
Sagba Chronicles 
Dayum. Definitely “something to talk about”!
Best advice: Kill ’em with kindness. WIth a lil grace and some facts(if necessary).
Trust me, this crab is impervious to kindness. And the facts he listens to are only his own 😏
‘His opinions on gay issues would leave gay activists the world over in shock and his opinion of African Americans would make the Klu Klux Klan offer him in life membership.’
iDied! I literally died here. LMAO!
Oh kere.
Chizzie never enter yet? E be like say data plan don finish or Airtel dey do am bad thing today
You don dey grow wings o! You better step back, before you become collateral damage.😂😂
Lol. Nna Chizzie is free to say whatever he wants about me as I really can’t be bothered.
I’m working hard at polishing my ” and walk away” skills. #AngerManagementBabySteps
Let’s hope it works. Nigeria cannot afford to lose its talented medical personnel.😂😂😂
🎶🎶 Bullet Proof 🎵🎵🎵 😂
*ignore and walk away*
Franca. I use Glo… I tweeted abt this a while ago, didn’t you take notes? That’s really unlike you
Oops! I missed that. I only open my secondary twitter account when I need wanking aids.
But it must be hard joggling two twitter accounts. One straight, while the other gay. However do you guys do it? Especially folks approaching 50. It must pose such a difficult strain on the mind, predisposing them to a ton of mental conditions; paranoia, Alzheimer s, schizophrenia amongst others. This all hypothetical as the average near 50 yr old doesn’t bother with such. But what do I know, Im not approaching 50 anytime soon
I don’t have a “straight” account.
@Francis, I’m proud of you. 😊😊 you’re stepping outta the nest.
*strolls back into the nest before it gets dark*
Firstly, congratulations on what looks like your first non sex post and one abt a comment I made. I feel really honored. I am going to try my best to say all of this w/o being shady.
I had completely forgotten I dropped this comment in the first place, seeing as I really didn’t see it as being shady. Secondly let’s stop for a moment and think here that you created this whole post because of me in essence, which does two things 1) makes me feel very important and 2) poses some questions about your sanity
Please note this is not me being shady as I am truly bewildered here. You actually sat down, ruminated on my comment, wrote a long post about it and even came up with an image to go with it. Which makes me wonder, don’t you feel that something is wrong with you here? It clearly shows that behind that sarcastic tongue in cheek exterior, there is a weak vulnerable and overly sensitive man. If I were indeed an internet troll, then none of my comments should bother you ‘cus after all I am trolling.
First, apparently it was something Posh said, now it is a comment Chizzie made. Is this early onset paranoia? Which could be an indication of Alzheimer ‘s which given your age is something you must look into. Luckily you are in a country w a good health care system, I trust you should take great advantage of that.
Also i was more surprised that you knew my handle to block on Twitter especially since I never actually mentioned you. So I guess in all fairness that also makes you an internet troll?
I think I just found my new punching bag on KD. *flips hair*. Oyah screen grab this comment and write another post about it, this time on KD, as your blog is abit dry. Plus isn’t this the second time a blog would post something based on a comment I made? And none of the so called bloggers have the liver to send me a link? Yet I am the troll? I sha I feel so influential, and constantly thought of. Keep it up guys. *adjusts shoulder pad*
Hahahahahahahahahaa!
Chizzie, judging by bits of this comment, Dennis Macaulay really should feel important too, should be some influential in your life, seeing as you dedicate tweets and entire comments and threats to his personality.
Of course you’ll deny that; do that and you’ll see that there’s nothing adulatory about this post; just one person calling out another.
Oh pink, “TENKIU” very much.
But I don’t go as far as dusting my blog and putting up a whole post for him. And I don’t care so much about his comments, just his journals which is even more commendable if I decided to blog about that.
Also let’s not forget that I am in my twenties, like this uncle pointed out, as is Dennis and a host of others I bitch about. But this is someone old enough to father me, he shouldn’t meddle in the affairs of young folks he can father, neither should he be concerned about what someone young enough to be his son thinks of him.
The fact is, its not normal or ideal for someone his age to be like this, its pathetic. No one approaching 50, wants to be up posting screen grabs of Grinder convos and blogging about what a 26yr old thinks abt him,or writing about hooking up w a stranger. Yuck, Let’s call it what it is.
” It clearly shows that behind
that sarcastic tongue in cheek
exterior, there is a weak vulnerable
and overly sensitive man”
So you’re saying men can’t be sensitive????????
Mtcheeeeeew
And you’re POSITIVE he’s fifty? Lol You do realize the art of internet personality smokescreens, don’t you?
Anyway, you really should calm down on this your ageism. People getting older doesn’t automatically translate to invisibility. You for instance, I do not see you practising what you’re currently preaching when you hit 40. An internet subdued Chizzie? Why, the sheer notion is hilarious. 😀
Yaaaaay chizzie hates old people, any other new “old” thing?.
If you were a “good” boy, then this post wouldn’t have existed.
😂😂😂😂😂. I’m just gonna order a margarita and await the bloodbath.. *wipes palm in anticipation*
” I’ll be too busy living my life to have time to read all the mean-spirited, troll-inspired comments soon to be posted below. “…. I doubt if you are sir! You act as if all these commemts dont bother you but they do. I still dont get the point of this post though.
Hahaha chizzie is officially “an Internet troll” ooh can’t wait till this blows out of proportion, place your bets everyone *holds offering basket from last week’s service *😁😂😂😂
I think I have to get the literally departments of schools around to read this and come up with likely aim or aims of this post as Im still at a loss on why anybody will go this length to respond to a mere comment.
@Gad….longest time.
it’s Chris from kd era ✌️
Good evening uncle chris. Good to hear from you again. We are fine. Thanks. Hope you are fine too?
All good here bro, sure, compliments of the season though. I am sti ‘ trolling’ you for a keg of palmwine anytime i step my foot into Abj. Till then rock and roll.
Do you guys want to exchange e-mail addresses? 😏 I can send them to you.
*sniggers*
Why are you sniggering? I maybe a “hoe”, but I know true love, a sorry bromance when I see one.
The universe will not forgive me, if I don’t facilitate it.😔
You for wait till Valentine na. lol
Ah no! You wan make my flow block? Mbanu!!!😳
@Keredim, i concur as Timaya dropped it lately.
Thanks for pushing a ‘bromance’ to the next level
Timaya?😳
@Keredim, ‘i concur’ is the title of a fairly new single by Timaya. I’m just backing up your suggestion of cosoliditing my bromance with Gad , thats all o, happy weekend.
I had no idea😂😂😂😂
Ask me about Adele😂😂😂