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should_i_take_the_bait

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Should I Take the Bait?

“Should I Take the Bait?” is a brief analysis of the arguments about how one should handle the ancient traditions of flamebaiting, trolling, ragebaiting, or whatever it's called nowadays. However, be warned that the article does not intend to provide a definitive answer.

Arguments against

The arguments against taking the bait relies on the ancient mantra of 'DNFTT' (do not feed the troll), as it was often believed that replies only 'encourage' them. One could pretend they're in a bad drama and reply with a lame quip,1) but doing this would amplify the troll's reach or visibility, plus you'd drag your audience or followers into said mess.2) There's nothing wrong with ignoring the issue, unless you're a moderator.

In addition, some platforms 'incentivize' bait (e.g. bad faith arguments, disingenuity, ragebaiting), knowing that angry people will stay on a platform longer and, in turn, generate more advertiser revenue. Replies can even reward the troll, especially if you believe in foreign troll farms.3) All in all, just assess your surroundings, pick your battles wisely,4) and consider logging off as society grows more irritable.

Arguments for

The arguments for taking the bait, assuming that moderation exists,5) is that failure to reply could add up and result in a 'consensus crack' where some ideas will gradually be 'accepted'6) if there is no clear opposition.7) Naturally, the logical conclusion is mob justice or vigilantism, but you can only do so much to cowards behind a screen, so 'accountability' (i.e. call-out, receipts) or 'public humiliation' will usually suffice.

In addition, simply 'blocking' or 'ignoring' them won't always be a perfect solution, since there is no guarantee that the problem even stops, plus there's a chance that others may engage with the troll in your defense. When has the 'DNFTT' logic of saying “it's inevitable” and turning your nose ever helped? That said, plan your steps wisely, and don't open with a paragraph unless absolutely necessary.

Notes

  • If you follow Christianity or Judaism, you might want to note that Proverbs 26:4-5 argues against taking the bait. However, applying religion to the internet is already an extremely tall task.
1)
In some environments, this may be referred to as a 'clapback', a 'dunk', a 'one-liner', a 'roast', etc.
2)
Most people would simply grow annoyed that you're even engaging with them, but there is a *small* chance that some follower ends up agreeing with the troll's viewpoint instead of yours, so watch your back.
3)
If you've ever heard about content farms, it shouldn't surprise you that one way to farm engagement is ragebaiting. This would normally come at the cost of losing your audience and revenue, thus why struggling media outlets use it as a last resort, but Twitter is minimalist and run by idiots, so there's no real penalty.
4)
Some may phrase this as “be the bigger person”, but I would personally say “calculate your next move” and “don't let it drag out” since a basic idea of crisis management can potentially go a long way.
5)
This argument relies on the idea that the community has actual moderation, so assess your surroundings. Most anonymous communities have low standards by design, so you shouldn't get much 'help' there anyways, but it's a whole new ball game if we're talking about a group chat, a niche forum, a social platform, etc.
6)
Some may phrase this as “silence is complicity”, but this is a context-dependent, guilt-tripping statement. Besides, we're talking about bait, this isn't an article about challenging the status quo.
7)
However, there's a time and place for everything. You don't have to loudly signal *every* single occurrent or dispositional belief that you have, especially when 'common sense' is still a thing. It's perfectly fine to show your beliefs, but you have to admit that there's a point where 'profiles decorated with causes and flags' become no different than 'cars plastered with an absurd number of politically charged bumper stickers'.
should_i_take_the_bait.txt · Last modified: by namelessrumia