Brogrammer Trolls vs. Female Gamers

Is ignoring trolls the most effective policy when a female gamer is abused online by insecure and domineering  males?

This article "With Gamergate, It's Not Enough To Ignore the Trolls" suggests that "The law isn't always able to protect victims of online harassment, but a culture that shames the perpetrators instead of merely acknowledging their existence can help wipe it out."

http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/staff-editorials/10781/gamergate-trolls-shame/ 

A female newsreader says humiliation is the best response to sexist remarks. Hurt their male ego, that vaporware they try to wield as a weapon.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/tv-radio/channel-4-newsreader-cathy-newman-says-public-humiliation-is-the-answer-for-sexist-remarks-8721200.html

I've developed a variety of troll-smashing techniques, some of which are successful in causing a troll to be so humiliated, they voluntarily leave the discussion.

Of course, the most common advice you hear is "don't feed the trolls" which means "pay no attention to them and don't engage in any arguments with them -- act like they don't exist."

This is good advice, but sometimes I think you may need to use more drastic measures to make them go into meltdown mode or to get the other comment posters to laugh at them.

A troll has no debate skills and he has no intention of "winning" an argument or discovering truth. He just wants to disrupt a conversation and try to hurt the feelings of others.

When a brogrammer (sexist male coder geek) starts attacking a woman because he doesn't like her gender being involved in gaming, we must condemn the death threats and rape talk. There are many ways to denounce such misogynist activity. 

For example, hit the creep with comments like this:

"Real big man, beating up on girls."

"Hey brogrammer, your mommy said it's time to change your diaper."

"It must be miserable being 13 years old and not being able to fly on a broom like your hero Harry Potter. But don't take it out on our womenfolk, dude."

These impotent males are infantile, lacking self-esteem, and feeling threatened by an intelligent, assertive woman. Or any woman at all. 

They must be thinking she's intruding in their "guy space," invading their virtual man cave.

Knowing they can't argue effectively against the superior intellect of the woman, they resort to psychological violence. If they could just punch the lady, and get away with it, they'd use physical force to subdue her.

Women, who are often less combative than men, can sometimes be rather flummoxed by such childish but frightening behavior. Being perplexed and startled by a sudden and extremely hateful personal attack, they may be unnecessarily intimidated. 

Men, who tend to have more experience in verbal jousting, can be a bit more composed in such situations.

Tonight, I was in a conversation thread on a certain topic involving a political leader.

I posted a comment, a quote of something that leader said that was incriminating and destructive to the praise they were heaping on that leaders. Someone replied to me with "stfu" -- a crass language command to "be silent." 

When someone can't refute your statement, but they are angry at what you posted, they can resort to demanding that you quit expressing your viewpoint. I just thanked the foul mouthed person for supporting democratic values and then I permanently left the thread.

Guys are prone to enjoy arguing and psychological combat, but women may not feel comfortable with online battles against abusive trolls. Some people play the sexism card when they're losing a debate or when they disagree with your viewpoint ("If a man had done this, you would not be so critical", etc.)

But many times, there is a brogrammer type indifference to gender inequality and a distinct lack of gentlemanly politeness. I try to never engage in online debate with a woman, it just seems too patriarchal.

There is such an abundance of male domination barbarism in this world and online discussions are not immune from this pathetic nonsense.

I'm on YOUR side, you wonderful ladies online and she-bloggers!

Read my many blog posts on trolls and blogocombat, then go out there and kick some serious buttocks, ladies!


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