Comment by coldblues | Hacker News Reader

Comment by coldblues | Hacker News Reader

I have to mention that there is also another form, or it may be different from trolling altogether, although it's not purely destructive in nature and it's more of a test, and I think an explanation will best describe what I mean.

There are online groups that will try to provoke people into giving them a reaction. You call people derogatory words and make them feel uncomfortable. If you can easily provoke a reaction out of them, they are outsiders unfit for the group you want them to partake in. If they react by "correctly" responding to those provocations either by insulting back in a joking manner, or directly referencing something regarding those words, you know that they're fit to be in your group.

I really hope there's other people in this thread who know about this practice.

As described, this is a form of hazing. Endure some {pain, embarrassment, temporary lower status, insults, etc} in order to gain membership in a club and then later inflict the same on others. This is an unfortunate part of human behavior. At times only annoying (but perhaps useful for bonding if done within humane constraints), but often worse.

Not exactly what I was referring to. The form I describe is more so to test if you are easily offended by those insults and are easily provoked. If you can find humor or bonding with those words, you can be part of the group, essentially differentiating them from those who are too emotional, easily provoked and quick to react negatively.

Help me understand... you don't think this has elements of hazing?

Perhaps you are suggesting the 'tests' are not arbitrary but instead are an essential part of evaluating if someone is fit for a group?

Not arbitrary, indeed. Primarily verbal. Just throw offensive words at someone and see if they have an "instant allergic reaction" to them.

Hazing is a little different insofar as people apply to join and then have to go through the hazing ceremony to gain acceptance (which with time can become highly abstracted, eg initiation rites in Freemasonry).

What's being described above is covert signaling, where the group is trying to expand and employs pseudo-aggression as a combination recruitment/sorting strategy.

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