I no longer assume that everyone online is familiar with old school net culture. One of its old sayings is; "don't feed the trolls". The point being that most people being flippant ass-hats online do it for the attention, so if they don't get any, it's no fun for them, and they go away.
There's a corollary of the #DontFeedTheTrolls principle for social media; when someone loses their temper at you, or talks down to you, that's also trolling. Don't dignify it with a reply.
Even when it's someone you normally get on well with. Even when it's someone you know in person.
Maybe use the time you would have spent wording a diplomatic reply to reach out to them in private, and ask them if they're OK. But don't throw fuel on the trashfire of their grumpy outburst. It never helps.
Me:
> when someone loses their temper at you, or talks down to you, that's also trolling. Don't dignify it with a reply. Even when it's someone you normally get on well with. Even when it's someone you know in person
I could and probably ought to add; even when it's me ; )
@strypey Excellent post/thread. I really struggle with this. The failure comes at the point of recognising that the exchange has shifted from good faith to bad. I've reached the point where I'm in the process of adding to my morning reminders a list of negative behaviours I will spot, so that every day I am reminded they exist and to try to recognise them quickly, but I suspect I will still miss some. Is there anything that has worked well for you on recognising these situations quickly?
@tokyo_0
> Is there anything that has worked well for you on recognising these situations quickly?
I go with my gut. If reading a post gives me a sinking feeling, or I find myself nervous to open my mentions, that's a good sign a conversation has gone past the point of usefulness.
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