Trolling rule

[Angrboda]

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I think you need to remove it.

Of course you do. Trolls are pretty well known for being against rules prohibiting trolling.

It censors fee [sic]speech besides being wholly irrational and ultimately a way of silencing voices one disagrees with.

It does nothing of the sort. You're aware, I hope, that this Forum is a private entity, not a public one. If you come into my house and start saying things I don't like, I have every right to toss you out on your arse without fear of violating your right to free speech. If you really feel the need to exercise that particular right, grab a soapbox and trundle yourself over to Hyde Park.

Even if one could know for sure that someone is only pretending to hold some opinions in order to provoke and prompt discussion. . . That is not a bad thing.

Nowt wrong with prompting and provoking discussing. But the hallmark of trolls - as I'm sure you know - is provocation for the sake of provocation. That gets no one anywhere.

That is a valuable thing. And even if it wasn't , you will never be able to know for sure if it's "trolling" or not.

Fortunately, the value of particular posts (as far as the rule against trolling goes) isn't up to you or me. That's why we have moderators. The history of the forum makes it fairly clear that the mods are actually pretty reluctant to come down hard on trolls, as your continued presence here would seem to confirm.

What is trolling anyway ? It's subjective to define it. We all "troll" to one degree or another sometimes. It's a spectrum , really. Why ban only some cases and not others ?

Because not all trolling is ban-worthy. Some posters get warned privately about their behaviour (including your Humble Narrator) and learned to not continue to poke the badger. Others are adept at being successful trolls, skirting very close to rule-breaking. If the mods were the ban-happy bunch you seem to think they are, the Ban Hammer would be worn down to a nub by now.

I think it's too ambiguous. Thank you for hearing me out. I look forward to hearing others' opinions on this.

Actually, I think what you truly want is to be able to say whatever you like, whenever you like, about whomever you like, on someone else's website, with absolutely zero consequences for your actions.

Boru