[bradleyland]

At some point, trolls have to crawl out from underneath their pre-pubecant rock and realize that "trolling" and "being an asshole" are the same thing. If trolling is the sort of thing you enjoy doing, fine, but don't expect to get along much with anyone but other assholes.

[throwaway86]

I never claimed that he wasn't being an asshole. I just don't think he actually believes what people are debating in this (thankfully now deleted) thread. If I'm right, and I'm 98% sure I am, this thread where people are arguing every word of what he said is a demonstration of a pretty damned good troll at work.

The definition of trolling is pretty nebulous, by the way; one could make that case that you attempted to troll me by calling me pre-pubescent, and hoped for me to lower myself to your level.

[bradleyland]

Apologies, I'm not referring to you as prepubescent; rather I'm referring to "trolling" as prepubescent behavior. I edited my post to more accurately communicate that point.

Trolling is a loosely defined term, but most definitions agree that it is a tactic whose primary purpose is to "get a rise" out of someone. The method used to accomplish this here (in the FB post) is to use language becoming of an asshole. Impersonating an asshole as a rhetorical strategy seems like an act doomed to fail.

I have no appreciation for trolling as a rhetorical device. It belongs in the bin with other disingenuous debate techniques. There are, I think we can all agree, far better, more honest methods of making one's point.

[throwaway86]

The good trolls are basically self-sacrificial. A good friend of mine makes the racists on Stormfront look like idiots by trolling them without them realizing it. It can be a weapon of good. However, I agree with you; everybody these days rushes to call what they're doing trolling when it falls apart in their face, but the post under discussion here is what a troll should look like, IMO.

[llamataboot]

Go read his other public timeline posts then where he reveals the depths of his misogyny. And then remind yourself that this person is representing the Ruby community on facebook.

[throwaway86]

Three things.

1. I don't maintain a Facebook account because it's either family bickering and arguing, spam I don't give a shit about, arguments I don't give a shit about, or trolling. What some guy says on Facebook concerns me absolutely zero and it is completely not worth my time. So no, I won't be reading his timeline. Because I can't log in.

I'm good friends with someone who is an absolutely face-blistering troll on Stormfront; everything he says online has to be part of his "act," if you will, so it would surprise me very little if this guy's entire Facebook schtick is keeping up his act. Welcome to the Internet.

2. I hope you read my other comment and stop treating women like they need to be protected from everything, because you perpetuate exactly what you hope to destroy with a blog post like this.

3. You got the pants trolled off you and want to argue about it with someone, and no, it's not going to be me. And now that your thread's been deleted from HN, it's not going to be anybody else here, either. Seriously, your reaction to the guy's post is absolutely comical given that you were being trolled, and is exactly what he wants you to do. Plus, now you've given him an excuse to ban you.

I'm going to add a fourth thing:

4. You've spent more of your life talking to that guy, me, HN, and your blog's readers about this topic than you should have, by a mile. Focus on things that can actually make a difference, like listening to what women want to see change in the industry instead of projecting your penis onto the industry from a position of male authority.