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[–][deleted]  (6 children)

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    [–]InumaGaming Socialist 10 insightful - 2 fun10 insightful - 1 fun11 insightful - 2 fun -  (5 children)

    Fair. What I learned is that most trolls seek the distraction over actual discussion.

    So you look to engage with trolls by exposing them as frauds while having a factual argument.

    I think the best course of action that worked to put me is find the fun in the engagement. Yes, I'm serious about the topics I engage with but I'm seeing how they react to different things and they have to go at my pace.

    Oh, you don't like this? Why or why not?

    Debates then become scientific. My observations then become analysis for the next engagement and then I push further.

    All in the name of science.

    [–][deleted]  (4 children)

    [deleted]

      [–]InumaGaming Socialist 8 insightful - 3 fun8 insightful - 2 fun9 insightful - 3 fun -  (3 children)

      True. I'm looking for flaws and responses.

      For example the entire "Russia shouldn't have invaded" response.

      Poke and prod, smile and nod.

      When did they invade? The answer is no longer February 24th, it's 2014 after the coup.

      Why did Russia invade? The canned answer before was that Ukraine was defending itself. I poke and prod and show how no one studied the Donbass. Then I smile and nod.

      Slowly, they realize the old tricks don't work.

      It was real fun to watch some of the old trolls lose it on Way Reddit because they kept thinking they had the upper hand while their arguments made concession after concession.

      But that's what's fun for me.

      Steering a troll into a brick wall of their own making isn't for everyone.

      [–]risistill me 5 insightful - 2 fun5 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

      Slowly, they realize the old tricks don't work.

      Being very serious now...I don't know about that.

      Knowledgeable left leaning Democrat posters were the stimulus for converting me. But only because I was serious about wanting to rebut their claims about Democrats. So, each time they posted a comment that knocked Democrats or any Democrat, I researched.

      I was laid up in bed, recovering from a serious surgery at the time, so I didn't mind spending as much time on my laptop as it took. Each time, though, I would find out that the buggers were right. So, I ended up converting myself. I don't think anyone else could have converted me.

      Those were unusual circumstances though. I would not research like that now.

      [–]InumaGaming Socialist 3 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 3 fun -  (1 child)

      Being very serious now...I don't know about that.

      Well, some don't. But it's more a finding of your engagement level.

      When they're bottom tier, I keep them there and don't engage. That's your vulgar trolls and ad hominem warriors.

      Mid tier is usually the ones that will have a big belief in something and you see if they want to change their religion or not. If they give you zealot posts, the fun is watching their belief backfire as their ego gets in the way. That's your Fake William Shatners or whatnot.

      High tier posters usually find their belief and will back that up with articles and such. Maybe they don't agree. But they actually respond to you and what you say. They're the diamonds in the rough. I usually don't spend much time with the vulgar and they usually weed themselves out. Mid tier, we form a relationship that has me look out for them.

      The High tiers usually will change as they get the same thing. Maybe they become a Wayer or not. That's not my call. But that's how that becomes a high level engagement while I work that same magic over and over.

      [–]risistill me 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

      Sounds good.

      Being forced to research did it for me. And maybe that's what your high engagement does.