Nate Silver: "Donald Trump Is The World’s Greatest Troll"

A Perez

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Jan 26, 2015
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The top political scientist in the nation just called Donald Troll out.
Excerpt :

“A troll,” according to one definition, “is a person who sows discord … by starting arguments or upsetting people … with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.”

The goal of the troll is to provoke a reaction by any means necessary. Trolls thrive in communities that are open and democratic (they wouldn’t be invited into a discussion otherwise) and which operate in presumed good faith (there need to be some standards of decorum to offend). Presidential nomination contests are highly susceptible to trolling, therefore. Access is fairly open: There’s no longer much of a filter between the campaigns, the media and the public. And it’s comically easy to provoke a reaction. How many times between now and next November will we hear that a candidate’s statement is “offensive,” whether or not it really is?

Trolls operate on the principle that negative attention is better than none. In fact, the troll may feed off the negative attention, claiming it makes him a victim and proves that everyone is out to get him.

Sound like any presidential candidates you know?"


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86294689.jpg

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump at the Family Leadership Summit on Saturday in Ames, Iowa.

SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES

2016 4:26 PM JUL 20, 2015

Donald Trump Is The World’s Greatest Troll
By NATE SILVER

“A troll,” according to one definition, “is a person who sows discord … by starting arguments or upsetting people … with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.”

The goal of the troll is to provoke a reaction by any means necessary. Trolls thrive in communities that are open and democratic (they wouldn’t be invited into a discussion otherwise) and which operate in presumed good faith (there need to be some standards of decorum to offend). Presidential nomination contests are highly susceptible to trolling, therefore. Access is fairly open: There’s no longer much of a filter between the campaigns, the media and the public. And it’s comically easy to provoke a reaction. How many times between now and next November will we hear that a candidate’s statement is “offensive,” whether or not it really is?

Trolls operate on the principle that negative attention is better than none. In fact, the troll may feed off the negative attention, claiming it makes him a victim and proves that everyone is out to get him.

Sound like any presidential candidates you know?


For a better browsing experience, please upgrade your browser.

FiveThirtyEight

SEARCH

86294689.jpg

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump at the Family Leadership Summit on Saturday in Ames, Iowa.

SCOTT OLSON / GETTY IMAGES

2016 4:26 PM JUL 20, 2015

Donald Trump Is The World’s Greatest Troll
By NATE SILVER

“A troll,” according to one definition, “is a person who sows discord … by starting arguments or upsetting people … with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.”

The goal of the troll is to provoke a reaction by any means necessary. Trolls thrive in communities that are open and democratic (they wouldn’t be invited into a discussion otherwise) and which operate in presumed good faith (there need to be some standards of decorum to offend). Presidential nomination contests are highly susceptible to trolling, therefore. Access is fairly open: There’s no longer much of a filter between the campaigns, the media and the public. And it’s comically easy to provoke a reaction. How many times between now and next November will we hear that a candidate’s statement is “offensive,” whether or not it really is?

Trolls operate on the principle that negative attention is better than none. In fact, the troll may feed off the negative attention, claiming it makes him a victim and proves that everyone is out to get him.

Sound like any presidential candidates you know?
 
I do wish Trump would stick to trade and Japanese dumping of cars, China's monetary manipulation, and the outsourcing of American jobs. Say what you like, corporate media picks on the safe stuff and let's the tough issues he brings up remain off the tabloid nation's radar. And republican outrage over his comments on McCain are bizarre given their past history. Can they spell hypocritical you think?

150720-republicans-outraged-donald-trump-john-mccain-hero.jpg
 
Where was their outrage when a soldier on active duty in Iraq was booed during the R debate?

BUT

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