There’s trolls and then there’s trolls. What I see as a troll is a person who’s purpose is nothing but insulting specific users/people/types of discussions/subjects, making pointless threads with the sole aim of pissing people off. Say I go and make threads that basically insult people who don’t like zombies. Several threads. I’m a troll. Say all I do on here is bash theists and I add nothing constructive or intelligent to anything I say that sucks, I’m a troll. Say I encourage and hail the rape and murder of little girls, I’m a troll. Say I make threads designed merely to bitch about some incident on Fluther, I’m another type of troll. Say I’m twenty six feet tall, my name is Grklmnlttpkrldflk and I swing around tree trunks, I’m…uh…
At least that’s how I see them. These kinds of people do not last here, usually. I really don’t see it as an issue. Your example sounds a little different. While it may be annoying, what you describe isn’t necessarily a troll, and people do have the right to debate and present their opinions as they see fit, as long as the guidelines are respected, am I right? We don’t all think and process shit the same.
Maybe they don’t add anything useful, maybe they do…but what you’re saying kind of sounds like personal opinion and maybe some misinterpretations. Looks to me like ye olde ’‘well they’re assholes cuz they don’t agree with me’’ routine. Some people here can get on my damn nerves, but that doesn’t make them trolls, or their activity here any less legitimate than someone I might favor.
Lots of folks here are fairly argumentative and have strong opinions yes, but I’ve never quite seen any user, on a regular basis, negate and belittle people as a hobby. Sure, it does happen, I’m pretty sure I’ve done it myself. But you can’t let stuff like that get to you, or call it an epidemic, since it’s not very common, and is usually taken care of if you ask a mod. Maybe people just get bad days, or voice things wrong. Or understand them wrong. I don’t see much trollery here. Sometimes people do get mean and insensitive…but we are a community, and none is perfect. (until, that is, I take my place as world leader, of course) As @Aethelflaed above me said, there may be true assholes. But do you really think that there’s so many that we should change some things about how it works around here?
Thing is, personally I find that the peace here is being quite well maintained, while still allowing users to express themselves fully, and talk about a wide range of topics freely.