Dr. Martin Hash Podcast

Outside of actually changing someone's mind, which never happens, trolling is the most satisfying of all debating tactics. The word “troll” has a bad connotation, people who call names or post nonsense to disrupt a debate, but if trolling is done properly, no one even knows they were trolled. The word comes from fishing, hanging a line with a piece of juicy bait, off the back of the boat then puttering around trying to hook a fish. Crude trolls are obviously trying to start trouble, but an Epic Troll can actually make a point; people will engage with an Epic Troll honestly because they don’t seem adversarial.

To pull it off, the Epic Troll cannot leave character; they must appear to be sincere at all times, insidiously peppering the debate with truth that the other side doesn't like to admit, or has never considered. A well-crafted troll is more convincing than a straight-forward argument because there's no rubbing against ego & spite; you appear to be on their side; trolling is a way to bring epiphany to otherwise insightful people. You know you've won when no one responds any longer, even though no anger was present.