Hacker News Reader

Comment by striking | Hacker News Reader

It's pretty clear that reacting to trolls only means you'll attract more of them.

Sexism is an important issue, but posting this article (as opposed to the previous one you posted) will likely attract more negative comments than the discussion you intended to start.

http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2939 may explain the vocalization of negativity on your blog post.

I'm sorry about what happened. No one deserves that. Pay no attention to the haters. Just write about your experiences and ignore those who keep you down.

View on HN

The worrying thing is that many people aren't trolls.

They're either oblivious to what it's like to be a target of incessant cultural bullshit, or are aware that it's bad but say that because "it's better now than when women couldn't vote" it's pointless complaining about it. Then after that there's normally some examples of the author being called whiney/bitchy/SJW/some other personal attack.

Bonus points if it comes from a <3 day old account which still has twitter egg as its logo.

Trolling is predicated upon inane opinions being presented as reality. The most talented trolls can't be distinguished from idiots.

That and people are just angry, so very angry.

This is just what happens when you exist publicly on the Internet. It's sad, but it's reality. And it's not just men doing it. It's not just trolling.

I can only hope that she takes her audience's outpouring of positivity to heart.

Agree with the kind tone, disagree with the defeatism.

People being sexist/racist online is reality in the same way that apartheid was reality, the way the Berlin Wall was reality. Sometimes we get to change shit.

I question your comparison of online sexism or racism to apartheid or the Berlin Wall. I try to stay away from comparing issues, but those were massive issues in which people died or were separated from their families for years not knowing if they'd be seen again. I can only be thankful that online sexism and racism are not as pervasive or life-changing as the aforementioned issues.

It would certainly explain why there hasn't been a change yet. But that doesn't change the facts: there will always be assholes on the Internet looking to get a rise out of someone, or people who blindly follow others in order to feel like they're belonging. If you see someone who's a moron, just be the bigger person and leave them alone. If you feed them, they multiply.

That's why the literature on the Internet agrees almost unanimously: don't feed the trolls. Don't even give them the time of day. It's not worth your time.

(just make sure you're not discounting legitimate opinions in the process)

> I try to stay away from comparing issues...

I'm not comparing issues; I'm criticising your "it's reality" argument that implies that it can't be changed. Those are examples of sucky things that were changed. If you're worried about comparing issues, fine, swap those examples for any in which group behaviour has changed.

> don't feed the trolls

Your responses seem to be based on a few assumptions, (1) that this abuse is primarily the act of 'trolls', (2) that 'trolls' are an unchangable reality, and (3) that it's a positive thing to do to tell victims of 'trolling' that it was their own behaviour that should be adjusted.

Sexism is an important issue, but posting this article (as opposed to the previous one you posted) will likely attract more negative comments than the discussion you intended to start.

I disagree. I think this is a useful and thoughtful continuation of the previous article. The horrible responses to an article about horrible behaviour is salient.

Yes, it'll attract more trolls, but it'll also stimulate more useful discussion and provides more useful information. Good on her.

How is what she's done different from "writing about her experiences"? She's experienced trolling, so she's writing about it.

It may attract more trolling but pretending it isn't happening also doesn't generally deter the determined.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com