Internet Trolls on discussion groups

When it just doesn't fit anywhere else.
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Bootstrap
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by Bootstrap »

ken_sylvania wrote:
Bootstrap wrote: I think you are talking about the pictures of houses on this page: http://plaincatholic.webs.com/. These pictures are actually of two different houses. The kitchen is a picture from the Amish Farm and House Museum in Lancaster Pennsylvania. Here it is on his page:

Image

This is clipped from the following image (via Pinterest):
The kitchen is characteristic of the 19th century. How is this Old Order Amish kitchen different from other contemporary farm kitchens?

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Here is another image of the same kitchen from another angle:
PA, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Old Order Amish House, Kitchen
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While we're in investigative mode, let me just comment that if the blue kitchen is the same as the green kitchen, it's been remodeled. Stovepipe is different, lamp is different, the staircase that cuts over the mirror only exists in the blue kitchen. The similarities, though, are striking.
Yes, I agree. So images #1 and #2 are obviously the same kitchen, same angles, same details, #1 seems to be cropped from #2. But image #3 is different in the ways you mention.

If you do an image search for kitchen "amish farm and house", you can see images from different years, and they do change the furnishings and remodel over time. And I found the third image using a similar image search. Here are some other images from various places and years:

Travels to Lancaster, PA
A great place to see and learn more about the Amish is the Amish Farm and House. The 207-year old house is the centerpiece of your experience. Built in 1805, it had been a home for many generations. A knowledgeable guides will take you through the house on a 45-minute guided tour and explains the lifestyle of the Lancaster County Amish. Main highlights of the house include: The Front Room -The Old Order Amish of Lancaster County hold church services in their homes. In this room, the wooden benches are arranged in preparation for an Amish service; The Kitchen - the center of activity of any Amish home and where the Amish family spends most of its time; and The Bedrooms - Amish bedrooms are conservatively decorated with colorful quilts and simple furniture. Their uniquely styled clothing hangs on the wall.
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Everything within the house is functional. To preserve the religious value prohibiting pride and vanity, pictures and photographs are not hung on the walls for decoration" from Welcome to Lancaster County's Amish House
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Sudsy
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by Sudsy »

Wayne in Maine wrote:What can be done about trolls?
Image

We had a few show up on Menno Discuss, people who really did not want to discuss Mennonite related topics but who, at times, dominated the group with their agendas and their argumentiveness.

For my part, I enjoy discussions on this forum with like-minded people and people I know. I appreciate authenticity and have dropped membership in other forums when I detect that it is a troll nest or that members with which I interact are not who or what they say they are. When I have moderated forums myself, I expected people to identify who they are if not to the whole group, then at least to the moderators so that we could vouch for them. This gave everyone in the group confidence that the people they were in discussion with to some degree trustworthy, and their information could be authenticated.

So far Mennonet has not had and major troll attack but how can it be prevented? Should we care?
I may as well give my 2 cents. I prefer open forums and in this one when discussion strays too far from relating topics to Anabaptism, then the person that opened the thread should remind us to get back to relating the topic to Anabaptism. We should take that responsibility ourselves if we begin a thread.

Personally, I think who is a 'troll' depends on how narrow each person would like a forum to be in it's discussions. Those who may be thought of as a 'troll' can, at any time, be ignored and not responded to. If they are trolling, I believe at some point they will go elsewhere. And I don't know anyone who I have not got to meet and be with personally that I will believe whatever they post. Whether or not someone is who they say they are really has nothing to do with discussing an issue, to me.

So, 'should we care' and somehow try to prevent a troll from entering this forum ? Imo, no. And if one enters, I think the solution is more in the hands of a thread creator who can remind us to stay relating threads to Anabaptism and to just not respond to threads that appear to not be related to Anabaptism.

For those who cannot tolerate the possibility that false statements are made on forums, perhaps forums are not the place to habit. They is what they is. Take what good we can get from them as they always will be imperfect places for discussion.
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Bootstrap
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by Bootstrap »

Sudsy wrote:I may as well give my 2 cents. I prefer open forums and in this one when discussion strays too far from relating topics to Anabaptism, then the person that opened the thread should remind us to get back to relating the topic to Anabaptism. We should take that responsibility ourselves if we begin a thread.

Personally, I think who is a 'troll' depends on how narrow each person would like a forum to be in it's discussions. Those who may be thought of as a 'troll' can, at any time, be ignored and not responded to. If they are trolling, I believe at some point they will go elsewhere.
Only if other people are not supporting them in their trolling. And that requires a little awareness of who the trolls are. And often, "the person that opened the thread" is the troll. So from time to time, reminders are helpful.

But I like the idea of not responding to trolls. "Don't feed the troll" is a good guideline.
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temporal1
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by temporal1 »

still at it, gentlemen? :P
Bootstrap wrote: .. But I like the idea of not responding to trolls. "Don't feed the troll" is a good guideline.
good idea.
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Josh
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by Josh »

temporal1 wrote:still at it, gentlemen? :P
Bootstrap wrote: .. But I like the idea of not responding to trolls. "Don't feed the troll" is a good guideline.
good idea.
Speaking of trolls
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by KingdomBuilder »

Bootstrap wrote: .. But I like the idea of not responding to trolls. "Don't feed the troll" is a good guideline.


Oh come on now, Boot. Can't we feed em just a weeeeeeee little bit? Trolls gotta eat too ;)
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Bootstrap
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by Bootstrap »

Josh wrote:Speaking of trolls
Temp does not misrepresent who she is, and she has not been dominating threads for a very long time. I don't think it is fair to call her a troll.
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Josh
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by Josh »

Bootstrap wrote:
Josh wrote:Speaking of trolls
Temp does not misrepresent who she is, and she has not been dominating threads for a very long time. I don't think it is fair to call her a troll.
Part of the ecosystem of trolling is that a notorious troll usually has a few stalwart defenders; they will never, ever attack the person who is doing the bulk of the trolling, but will be ready and waiting to attack anyone who dares point out a spade is a spade.

They will usually criticise anyone who brings up the troll’s behaviour by saying “can’t you get along” or “stop causing trouble” or use belittling language like “still at it, gentlemen? :)”.

But you’ll never see them, not once, say a single negative word about the troll’s misbehaviour, no matter how egregious it is.
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by PeterG »

I have my differences with temp, but she acts in good faith. Responding unproductively to a troll does not make one a troll. Temp is not a troll.

(And Bootstrap, by the way, has just proven himself again to be a non-troll and a gentleman. And Josh isn't a troll, either. So I think my bases are covered now. :P )
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Robert
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Re: Internet Trolls on discussion groups

Post by Robert »

PeterG wrote: (And Bootstrap, by the way, has just proven himself again to be a non-troll and a gentleman. And Josh isn't a troll, either. So I think my bases are covered now. :P )
Eh emmm. :lol:
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