A question mainly for regulars: why do you ask so few questions and answer so many trolling ones?

Question

People frequently bemoan the amount trolling in this section. Rightly so of course, there can be times when you look at the page and 90% of the questions are flamers. You can complain about the lack of moderation on this board but Yahoo will never care so why not focus on what YOU can do?

First of all, it seems to me that most of the non-trolling regulars here don't ever bother to ask questions. Obviously there are exceptions (Girly McFemale, allegra, Flyinghorse, waswisgirl are four that I can think of), but most (or many others) seem occupied with answering questions (many of them trolling ones) rather than asking them.

Obviously trolling wont decrease as a result but surely the overall standard of the board will increase if there are more reasonable questions on display.

Second, I imagine that trolls get a kick out of how regulars respond to them. So why not collectively agree to boycott them? Don't you think some of them might get bored if they're given the cold shoulder?

I didn't have enough room to explain the second point, but I think it's such an obvious one. I mean to say that the trolls probably get a particular enjoyment in interacting with and baiting established members. So why satisfy them when you don't need to? Come on sistas, get organized!

It doesn't matter if you've made up your mind on an issue or think that a question might be banal. It needs SOMEONE to start a discussion.

carrie, I agree, although, a question doesn't need to be intellectually stimulating to be reasonable. And again, on the off chance you do know everything, it doesn't mean you can't raise a topic for people to discuss, does it?

carrie, I got your joke*, and I understand the smiley-system. : ) (See?)

Again, it's not realistic to expect standards here to be high, so I'm not talking about intellectual stimulation. I think you can ask decent questions without asking people to turn off autopilot.

That said, I overlooked Flyinghorse's point: asking questions makes you more of a target. This is probably not the main reason why people don't but it's certainly a valid one.

*In order for me not to understand the joke, I would have to assume that you genuinely believe you know everything. I am DEEPLY offended by your assumption that I am such a dunce. ; ) (There is my mastery of the smiley-system again)

gldjsn, I understand your motivations perfectly. I was referring to people who give their time to "attention whores" when they could raise the standard of this board (gender and women's studies) by asking decent (if perhaps banal) questions.

Girly, you feminists should have another "conciousness-raising" session and start calling trolls that. Much better term.

kendrick, I've only just read your answer. In fact, two of the people I mentioned have me blocked but that has no bearing on this particular issue.

I've said plenty on the blocking-to-stifle-debate issue previously.

Answer 1

Yeah, I'm totally guilty of this (hangs head in shame)...it's a sickness.

EDIT--But, then again, posting questions makes you more vulnerable...unless you just block everyone who might have a differing opinion, right Happy Bullet? Then you can post "jokes" about rape, misrepresent scholarly studies, and troll to your heart"s content. Being a hypocrite seems to come so easy for you, you make it look effortless. I guess you "just can't handle the truth".

Oh, BTW (I know I keep adding to this) I asked a question recently and it was deleted. I didn't violate any Y! rules, but I guess the trolls didn't like what I had to say. (Or one troll in particular with 15 accounts, see troll referenced above.) So I feel like it's pretty futile.

EDIT--Happers, I don't have a problem. I'll post again when and if I feel like it, and I'm sure as hell not worried about being "vulnerable" to the likes of you. You pose no threat, you're slightly irritating at times, rather like an annoying Chihuahua. And please spare me the Yahoo rules lecture. You violate every rule every day (insulting others, using Y! as a soap box for your hate agenda, cloning/trolling...not to mention that NONE of your questions are "questions", but rather hate statements) so save it.
And the point isn't that "I'm" blocked...it's that you block most of the people who would oppose you, then have the gall to criticize others for saying they are "vulnerable" to others...YOU make sure you aren't vulnerable. I've seen the answers from the majority of people who answer you, and their either pathetic yes men, or near illiterate feebs. Almost everyone else you've blocked. For obvious reasons.
And in "all" fairness, you are not here to voice an opinion. You are here to put forth some ridiculous agenda that you are OBSESSED with and save the world from bogeymen that exist only in your head. They have medication for that (Oh yeah, and to spend an inordinate amount of time cloning and creating new accounts, not to mention pouring over the Internet to look for "studies" that you can use to denigrate women...how do you have time to go to the bathroom?). The rest of us are here have some open discussion, and engage in debate...well some of us, anyway.
And please don't be anymore ridiculous than you have to be about the nature of your posts and what you're doing here. As I said before, if we (those that you've blocked) were so clueless (and in true need of "hand-holding"), it would be easy to counter what we say, and stump us. But since you can't measure up, you block us. Don't make excuses.

Answer 2

Well, I only started participating about 3 weeks ago, and I've asked quite a few questions, and answered a lot too. Contrary to popular thought, not everyone cares about points, but some of us do care about having our accounts deleted. These people are vicious and will report anything.

There are 3 people I block regularly, not because I'm afraid of "stifling debate" but because they have nothing to say. When I ask questions about the men's movement, they never answer. It's pointless to try to get them to address the very issues they keep complaining about. I do not answer questions by moral authority or by ashbridge or whatever its name is, and Jackel is--well, I can't say anything or I become a violator--something that I've become only since I switched from Philosophy to GWS. I have not said a single offensive thing, unless it's to a troll who has been obnoxious over and over--yet I become the violator. I think reaching level 4 in 3 months is not bad, and having almost 120 best answers is pretty good. Clearly, I'm not a problem, but I'm reported as one. In this forum, specifically. So who is the problem here? Me, because I don't ask enough questions? Whatever.

Don't condemn people here who were doing just fine, thank you very much, until three idiots decided that rape was funny. People like flyinghorse and allegra and so on ask great questions--and then they have these morons post responses that include lovely pictures of slaughtered animals. What exactly would you have people do? You want to encourage debate, ask questions. See how far you get. Half the time, we have no idea who is a troll, since they change daily. Oh, and then they clone you and ask even more idiotic questions. If you have a solution, let us in on it because I do believe the intelligent people in here are doing their best. Ask away Sebastion. Look forward to your questions.

Answer 3

I can't answer for everyone, but I think a lot of people who answer questions are in it for the points. When you ask a question, five points are deducted from your total. I've surveyed this site, and was very surprised to learn that some people have as many as 30,000 points or more. They must do nothing all day except sit and answer questions, even if the answers are merely one-word replies.

I am probably older than most of the folks on here, and I have had a lot of life's experiences. I've worked in the government for 34 years, raised two children, have been married three times, and experienced losses and illnesses. I've read a lot and I'm a freelance writer/journalist. I feel that I've had enough of the angst and the joy of life to qualify as a person whose "been around" so to speak. That's not to say that I know everything -- nothing could be further from the truth. But I know enough to give reasonable advice, and I've gone through a lot of the troubles that people want answers to, so I base my answers on my own humble experiences.

I have asked a few questions, and I have to admit, I've gotten some wonderful, well-thought answers. But I only ask about things I really want to know, like computer questions, or household dilemmas, like how to get rid of ants. As time goes on, I will probably face other challenges that I need help on. So that's my story. I hope it gives you some insight on why the answers far exceed the questions -- at least from my point of view. Thanks for asking!

Answer 4

I don't ask questions because I don't want trolls answering them. I don't want to be reported for really stupid sh*t when I'm not a threat to anyone but a troublemaker. And I have no issues that are confusing me. I'm old enough to know all the answers anyway.

90% - you're very kind. But to be honest, I can scarcely tell anymore which is a question designed to elicit a real discussion asked by someone who's genuinely interested in the answer, and which is a flamer. (Many of them sound alike, even if they were not intended that way.) I don't respond to them unless I can come up with a quick retort that will make the questioner look even more foolish. And if I'm busy, as I usually am, I know there are posters here who will give great answers to good questions. The torch has been passed! And trolls, as you know, never tire of creating new heads and asking the same thing over and over and over and over and over again to give the impression many people agree with them. More reasonable questions won't do anything of value.

But your question is a good one and makes sense. You must be new here.

Answer 5

Amen on answering troll questions

Though about the asking questions thing? not so, actually the more respected users on here are the ones who post the majority of gender study related questions, KA, Waswisgirl, myself, delicious, allegra, for the most part we all are at about 75% answers and 25% questions, though waswisgirl probaby has many more, but you have to figure there are roughly 15 trolls (each with multiple accounts) for every one respectful user. The blame is on us for answering troll questions, but the question thing is difficult.

EDIT to rainbow: LOL I do have alot of time on my hands, te he, still prefer to spend it discussing interesting topics then giving into these attention wh*res.

OH! and a BIG FAT EDIT to the people who claim they do not ask questions bc of the trolls who answer::

OMG how could you allow their BS to control you? You don't start interesting conversations and instead let the trolls run rampant why? because your afraid of ignorant responses? LOL seriously you have to see how ridiculous that is. Hint: Thumbs down, report, block, ignore....in that order. Why should the rest of us be denied your contributions bc of a few little jerks? You are only giving them what they want!

Let's put it this way: What if the sufferagettes said "well we don't want to fight for the vote bc those scary men will say bad stuff to us...waaaah!" (I realize a stretch) But COME ON! where is your backbone!?!?

Answer 6

I think they go to other forums also that don't have men(or what some refer to as trolls).

BTW, either you're not Sebastian or not a man. The women play the same games, but they're sneaky about it. They block the men all the same. Again, they do it behind the scenes and aren't 'in your face' about it. Some of them, are the ones you named, so I know you aren't a guy, or you would be blocked.


I do believe in blocking the serious troll offenders, who talk about rape and horrible things. Just replying to this answer means that I'm contributing to a discussion about them, which gives them relevance... but I'm proud to say that this is only the 2nd time I've answered a question that even addresses their existence.

Answer 7

Sebastian, I hope you stay in this forum. You’ve asked a great question. I fall into the category of answering more questions (600+) than I’ve asked (6), but I just don’t have the time to do the research to ask some of the really good questions that people like Girly McFemale asks where she posts links to articles on which she would like to start a discussion.

It’s hard to boycott someone on here. I realize answering them just feeds the fire, but sometimes one comes up with really good retorts to their questions.

Answer 8

Thank you, wonderful observation.

Point is, it gets tiring.

It gets tiring to make an honest question just to be answered by trolls, or deleted.

It gets tiring to be harassed by the trolls you block, (in my case sending me several times pictures of dead horses and very nasty commentaries about dead animals).

It gets tiring that people assume things about you when they don't even know you.

All these becomes more patent when you are the one posting a question. Posting a question makes you more vulnerable.

I really think that this category is going now for a long time down the tubes. It is possible to discuss the same issues in "Social Science" or just get away of the computer and write a book or talk to a friend.

It is sad what is going on in here. I am sure that some are even afraid of writing a question. e.g.
Two weeks ago a very young woman (12 year old) posted a serious concern, one of the trolls answered to her in a very nasty way. Come on, she IS a child!! Sick people in here.

Better perhaps would be to let them to themselves. When I say them, I refer to the "trolls" and about the "trolls" I just refer to 5 or 6, NOT the rest (just trying to clear some confusion with one of the regulars ;-)

Thanks for your question

Answer 9

Okay, let's face it, this is Yahoo Answers. If one wants some intellectually stimulating discussion about feminist issues, this is *not* the place to come.

Some of the trolls are utterly ridiculous and there is no point even answering the questions, but at the same time, I think it's important to not let them get away with spreading their hate speech. Also, some are genuinely curious or open-minded.

Lastly, I don't ask questions because I already know everything. ;)

Answer 10

i used to be a regular, but have recently left due to the trolls & lack of intelligent questions. this is now a place of hate, and the trolls have taken over. there used to be some anti-feminists on here with thought provoking questions, they weren't just trolls. i miss them. they actually made me think & question.

these trolls just make me realize that the need for feminism is still VERY high. their hatred & harrassment of women is appalling. some even go to other nearly exclusively women sections to troll (such as pregnancy) and harass women. they are sick people without conscience.