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Living with trolls. A survivor’s guide.

Trolling has always been a feature of erep life. When I was a very young noob there was a massive uproar following the publication of a pornographic photoshopped image depicting a two term CP, female player. The affair was known as the Rape of Edana Savage and generated a lot of heated discussion at the time.

For most reasonable people there is a clear line between robust exchange and pathological behaviour of the sort which results in people being subjected to humiliation, abuse, threats, stalking and the slow grind of persistent negative comments. For many of us, the banter is the best thing about the game. I myself have been known to throw the odd dig below the belt. (Yddub says I’m viscous.) Sometimes it goes too far and people get hurt and leave the game.

The recent departure of the Second-in-Command of The Irish Army because of pornographic trolling is only the latest in a line of senior players who have left the community. But it’s not just tanks and politicians that we are losing. Every player that leaves because of bullying and intimidation makes this community smaller in every sense of the word.

My question is this: Are we ready to say Trolls GTFO? It can be done only if we work together. And here I take a different tack to Death And Taxes who prior to his exit, advocated confrontation.

To the exclusion of everything else, including a productive role in society, Trolls are motivated by one thing , your attention. That is the key. You will never beat them in an argument. Not because they have a better argument; they rarely do. Not because they’re smarter than you; they’re not. Not because they have more stamina than you; well, they probably do have more stamina than you. Trolls always win when there is an argument because they get the very thing they want –your attention and a little shred of notoriety in this particular corner of the internet.

So here it is, James Keiller’s seven easy steps to a troll free life.

Step 1
Take them off your friends list. When you do that, two things happen. First, their shouts don’t carry so far any more. Second, they don’t have access to as much general background information as they used to. Do it now.
Step 2
Don’t like their comments or vote their articles. Trolls live for attention and notoriety. Deprive them of this and they starve.
Step 3
Never ever reply. No matter what they say. No matter how much of a gap they leave for you to come back with a witty retort. If you feel someone is being victimised it is better in the long run to send them a supportive PM than to feed the troll with a public squabble.
Step 4
Hit the report button. The admins haven’t covered themselves in glory here, but we can live in hope.
Step 5
Don’t engage with them on neutral topics. The troll will often garnish an abusive article with something inoffensive: a funny picture, a pretty girl, some sporting or cultural reference to draw you in. Comment on that will be construed by the troll and others as tacit approval.
Step 6
Take ownership of your community. There is an election coming up. Ask the candidates if they think it is a matter for the State when servants of the State are hounded out of the game.
Step 7
Keep your sense of humour! You shouldn’t let trolls intimidate you. You shouldn’t let them turn you into an overbearing prude either.

So who the hell is James Keiller? I’m one of Ireland’s highest ranked players in terms of Strength and XP. Politically independent. I have served with distinction in every Department, in Governments of every stripe, with the exception of Finance (they have no work for someone who counts on his fingers). I run the Irish Army Commune, employing 60 soldiers, feeding Q7 weapons into the supply system. I took up citizenship in Serbia for the bonus production. This means I have sacrificed the privileges of holding citizenship in the community of which I am a part. I have a record of standing up against bullies. When the Irish Citizen Army was a much more formidable force than it is now, I was the one who stood up to them for the orchestrated harassment of isolated players such as Luminara and Gonzo.

I was around before the current crop of trolls and I will be here after they’re gone.











The big story that has been exercising British minds in recent days is not the Irish War, but the unfolding drama created by the American & Romanian cats among the pigeons of CoT/TWO.
UK very quickly followed Serbia's cue with a hastily proposed MPP with Romania, to the fury of their recent BFFs, Bulgaria. This led to some opportunist political score scoring and some hand wringing about eUK being unfairly cast as perpetual back stabbers.
In the course of the discussion which picked over all the old wounds, the exit from Atlantis that wiped a continent, the flounce from Terra over the right to attack us, the pragmatic disposal of Strasbourg, there was a nice little quote about Ireland from Joshua Whelan:
We're a free country; a proud country. We have our flaws yes, but why must we continue to be a Polish puppet? Ireland gain my respect here - they stand for what they think is right despite being surrounded by enemies, and as a result they have fun and they don't give a damn.
In line with the gameplan which seems to be to stay onside with Serbia and Poland at all costs, the UK MoFA recently announced an updated agreement which seeks to carve up their former Strasbourg BFF, France.
UK CP,Jimbojoy has been an honourable foe, surviving two impeachments.
As far as the Anglo-Irish War goes, it is notable that there is less of the usual jingoistic banter. There seems instead to be a grim determination to collect a pound of flesh for Ireland's part in the recent wipe.



Independent Voices would like to say a big “thank you” to everyone who supported us in this Congress election, our first since the new rules came into force. Until lately, we have been a Party outside the top 5 and so the Dáil has been deprived of people who are really quite talented in their own peculiar ways.



Mirek12345, BrianVesty, binksy, Sean Power, Nogin the nog, castaneda, Leo Demidov.

Independent Voices managed to win a share of the vote which was a good bit bigger than the size of our Party might have suggested. I have no doubt that is in part due to the calibre of people we had on the ticket. They won’t let you down. If they do they’ll have me to answer to.

James Keiller: So you were thinking of raising the minimum wage? Lift ‘em ya bugger!


A special shout out to our little birdie friends in Eire Aonair and congratulations to Leo Demidov who won a seat on their behalf. We wish EA well in the future and hope they can build on Leo’s success.

Fly away Leo!


And now here’s a few of our new TDs


Castaneda, pretty smart dude for a skanger monkey



Nogin the nog, let ‘em eat cake!



binksy, just don’t crap in the Dáil chamber


Good luck to our new TDs of every stripe. Have a good month.

Yours,
James Keiller
On behalf of Independent Voices