I've met trolls online who are certainly psychopaths, and then I've seen regular people trolling because they find it funny (4chan style).
One thing that I want to say though... people that:
- have unpopular opinions
- are a PITA in general
- have more than one forum account
- keep arguing with mods/admin
doesn't automatically make them "trolls" and are often mislabelled as such.
I remember when I joined the internet in the mid 90's, at the time the popular discussion groups were on a network called Usenet. That's where I met my first troll and he was a pretty hardcore one. He used multiple identities (often stealing other people's names) and was as destructive and attention whore as possible. He was making some of us so angry that many people would have paid big bucks just to have the "privilege" to spend a few minutes with him IRL. It was impossible to ban people on Usenet so he stayed there trolling the same groups for YEARS, many users just decided to quit because of him. Now this guy had some SERIOUS issues.
I remember now and i must apologize
Jokes aside, i too have seen this phenomenon grow into it's current status-quo.
Let me first say i am happy to a certain extent, that now Internet Trolling has become punishable by law. On the downside is the hard to define ethical line which would be drawn in the sand figuratively.
Where do you draw it, how do you draw it, and who monitors the point of crossing? It's a complex matter, as there are emotions involved. People's feelings can be and have been hard to use as a guideline, in really any random grade-meter for whatever cause. They are just too different, some people can burst into tears over stuff that makes other people laugh, quite hard and sincere.
So, especially in written language, which is even more complex, as it's void of tone of voice, gesticulations and the face to face expressions that may play a part in conveying your intentions with the words you are using, it would appear to be wise stating at all times, either as a disclaimer on top, bottom or anywhere in the middle, what you are intending with your post. I wouldn't be too surprised if this would become "the law" in a further future, especially in some less democratic countries.
For now we will have to use smilies and subtext.
In my days i have seen some incredible abuse, even by admins to "innocent" members
-not really talking about CM, but other forums and places i used in the past). I have to be fair and admit that when i was still a teen, quite rebellish and also angry with society at that point, i did play my fair share of troll parts, in both real life and the internet.
The few times i may have really hurt someone 's feelings i really figured they had it coming. The few occasions where in retrospect i may have stepped over a line, i did try and make things up later.
If for some reason, someone would want to hold me responsible for those events, or even go as far as to label me now, following the philosophy, once a "psychopath" always a psychopath, or whatever label may fit, i would be highly displeased, surprised and in the end probably outraged too.
People can still learn, change and adapt to their circumstances, growing mentally and emotionally, which means a higher understanding of feelings, what's what in the world of emotions and the "learning by doing" of the great timeless concept "Try not to do things to others that you would not like them to do to you" which will grow more meaningful, sadly, after one's self has been hurt deeply for the first time.
I'll stop rambling now, but i hope i could share my yet incomplete view on this concept and the resulting humanitarian dilemma in regards to it's handling in daily life, specially in the virtual world.