Fighting Against the Trolls

Haters Gonna Hate

While my experience with trolls is relatively minimal, thankfully (see here and here), I have decided to take a page out of the books of Kitty and Fat Heffalump when it comes to future encounters (though it does seem the tumblr has been taken down, unfortunately).

To just ignore them and pretend they don’t effect me is a lie, to me and to them. It sits at the back of your mind and slowly eats you up. Yes, it’s stooping down to their level, but constantly taking the high road just helps them chip away at my mental support wall, weakening me. By fighting back, it actually enforces that wall, it makes me stronger. Having to defend myself, my beliefs, my appearance, my health (both mental and physical), is constructive for me.

While this approach may make some others uncomfortable, such as those who shy away from confrontation (not looking at anyone in particular *cough*), it’s something I have to do. Given the reach of this blog though, I don’t think it will be something that happens very often.

xkcd: Duty Calls

Trolls (concern trolls or otherwise) can’t be allowed to get away with this behaviour, and while I know it’s incredibly hard to change someone’s opinion, especially when they’re online and anonymous, I can’t very well complain about it if I don’t actually try to do something to change it. It is only through ignorance that the majority of trolls exist, and they will continue to be ignorant as long as they remain uneducated. It is up to us to educate them, because they certainly aren’t going to do it themselves, and it will be for the betterment of everyone involved.

Do you experience trolls? If so, do you ignore them, hope they’ll go away and bother someone else, or do you fight back?