Some sage advice on audience and peer interaction for content-publishers from the otherwise highly-opinionated Richard Masucci of the YouTube channel ReviewTechUSA that could easily apply to other online platforms. In a nutshell, keep it professional, keep it business-like and park your ego at the door.
ReviewTechUSA: Top YouTuber Mistakes
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
There was one interaction between some of the regulars here and a person who had been labeled a troll-His arguments weren’t just hard driving, dismissive, or the usual things….several comments were straight up bigoted. After exchanging a few comments with the guy and looking at some other exchanges, I assumed he couldn’t be reasoned with.
Some people managed to talk him into being less hostile by bringing up an apolitical topic. Never seen that done with a troll….even ones that never said anything as bad as some of the stuff he did. He appeared to be from England and moderately-high to high SES (socioeconomic status). Assumed it was a man, but I could be wrong.
Is this some sort of fine art? Dealing with trolls? Psychological chink in their armor? Jedi Mind Tricks?
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I think most people can be reasoned with if you can find some common ground. And “trolls” as such are usually just people looking for attention. Not just a reaction to their provocations but human interaction. The genuine sociopaths are few and far between. Most are just cry for help types. At least that is my experience.
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There are several web venues, where I just won’t go anymore. The trolls have taken over some venues completely-like zombies taking over a mall, airport, building or whatever. Sometimes the reasonable people who remain are fighting a losing battle to take the venue back, out of a vague nostalgia for its better days.
I’m not sure how much of the difference has to do with hosts banning people-or if the fairly untouched places are just lucky.
I’d never see anyone successfully reason with a troll before.
As for sociopaths? The figure I heard was 1.5% of all people.
A lot of troll I’ve encountered appear to be doing it as a very planned political strategy. Not just Putin’s trolls, but a lot of them are doing it in their own countries on their own accord with no pay. Some just come as themselves and go into a venue where their adversaries congregate and go around making trouble into the venue is ruined. Others pose as members of a political movement they have it in for and advocate something outrageous while going around being nasty to everyone.
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The virtue of ASF is its size and influence. Being so tiny and lacking any real world impact no proper trolls, amateur or professional, bother with it. Which is all good by me!
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