EPT
As many of you are already aware (but not all unfortunately), the word trolling has ascended to a new meaning. It used to mean approximately:
Trolling is trying to get a rise out of someone. Forcing them to respond to you, either through wise-crackery, posting incorrect information, asking blatantly stupid questions, or other foolishness.
But it's been expanded to mean:
Any time anyone says anything that isn't 100% serious.
What the hell? Where did this come from? I guess a lot of people just didn't understand what trolling was, tried to pick it up from context, failed miserably, and then started disseminating their own crappy interpretation. Just to clarify a couple of examples:
Example 1
+ Show Spoiler +
Person 1: Why is Bisu such a failure at protoss?
Person 2: What the fuck!? Bisu has so many accomplishments and dominated for a long time. You have no right to say bad things about him after all he's done for bw.
Analysis
+ Show Spoiler +
Trolling! Person 1 doesn't necessarily have anything against Bisu. Person 1 just knew that Person 2 would flip out and defend Bisu. Person 1 was amused by Person 2's heartfelt and long-ish response. If Person 1 is feeling extra trolly he'll continue the charade further.
Example 2
+ Show Spoiler +
Person 1: Here's a terran fpvod I made to help the community learn how to play terran better. + Show Spoiler +
http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?topic_id=58459
Analysis
+ Show Spoiler +
Not trolling! It is painfully obvious that person 1 isn't serious, and he doesn't actually intend for people to think that this was a serious attempt at creating a demonstration fpvod. Still, people have told me it's an exellent troll. No, it's not! The fact that a few people actually fell for it is a testament to their obliviousness rather than trolly nature of the thread.
Conclusion: Over half of the accusations I see of trolling on TL are wrong. This isn't a phenomenon limited to TL so I don't blame its members, but if you are someone who often makes this mistake please take a moment to think about this.
Bonus: Provide the analysis for this sample yourself:
Example 3
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[15:08] <micronesia> what do you do if you go 2 gate zealots and your opponent goes 2 fact vultures
[15:08] <Zavior> find a hard object
[15:08] <Zavior> bash random thigns with it
[15:09] <Jathin> um
[15:09] <Jathin> you shouldn't be going 2gate zealots if your opponent goes 2fact vultures
[15:09] <micronesia> I always go 2 gate zealots vs terran it's the best strategy
[15:09] <Jathin> but if, for god knows what reason, you're in that position
[15:10] <Jathin> hold your ramp with zeals and stall until you get goons
[15:10] <micronesia> I don't get goons; I rush straight from zealots to scouts
[15:10] <micronesia> so I can kill the vultures more easily
[15:10] <Jathin> word
[15:10] <suxN> i guess you could go for a cannon then, since youre lacking gas not minerals rite?
[15:11] <micronesia> lol
[15:11] <Jathin> cannon and rush to reaver
[15:11] <Jathin> that's your only hope
[15:11] <micronesia> but what if he goes 12 battlecruisers
[15:11] <micronesia> that's what always kills me
[15:11] <Jathin> scourges
[15:11] <Zavior> you retaliate with proxy fleet beacon
[15:11] <Zavior> how could you not see that
[15:11] <suxN> wtf, battlecruisers shouldnt be the problem if youre doing scouts
[15:11] <intrigue_> if u block ur ramp with pylons
[15:11] <intrigue_> battlecruisers cant do shit
[15:12] <micronesia> intrigue_ good point let me practice that in 1 player mode
[15:12] <Jathin> MC his scv
[15:12] <suxN> pylons are for noobs, 4x shield battery
[15:12] <Jathin> and make turrets
[15:08] <Zavior> find a hard object
[15:08] <Zavior> bash random thigns with it
[15:09] <Jathin> um
[15:09] <Jathin> you shouldn't be going 2gate zealots if your opponent goes 2fact vultures
[15:09] <micronesia> I always go 2 gate zealots vs terran it's the best strategy
[15:09] <Jathin> but if, for god knows what reason, you're in that position
[15:10] <Jathin> hold your ramp with zeals and stall until you get goons
[15:10] <micronesia> I don't get goons; I rush straight from zealots to scouts
[15:10] <micronesia> so I can kill the vultures more easily
[15:10] <Jathin> word
[15:10] <suxN> i guess you could go for a cannon then, since youre lacking gas not minerals rite?
[15:11] <micronesia> lol
[15:11] <Jathin> cannon and rush to reaver
[15:11] <Jathin> that's your only hope
[15:11] <micronesia> but what if he goes 12 battlecruisers
[15:11] <micronesia> that's what always kills me
[15:11] <Jathin> scourges
[15:11] <Zavior> you retaliate with proxy fleet beacon
[15:11] <Zavior> how could you not see that
[15:11] <suxN> wtf, battlecruisers shouldnt be the problem if youre doing scouts
[15:11] <intrigue_> if u block ur ramp with pylons
[15:11] <intrigue_> battlecruisers cant do shit
[15:12] <micronesia> intrigue_ good point let me practice that in 1 player mode
[15:12] <Jathin> MC his scv
[15:12] <suxN> pylons are for noobs, 4x shield battery
[15:12] <Jathin> and make turrets
edit: your own examples can be offered if you like
