Today, I want to talk about how to deal with internet trolls.
Whenever you start building an online presence of your own, you will have haters.
It doesn’t matter if you are preaching the Gospel, helping sick children, handing out free $100 bills, building a business, or writing about gardening.
Just spend any time on Facebook, YouTube or Yahoo and you will know what I am talking about.
People say some of the dumbest and meanest things online.
These folks are probably sitting at home in their underwear.
They probably haven’t had sex for months and they are angry, mad and frustrated.
They hate themselves.
They hate the world.
They hate life.
They are angry and ignorant.
Maybe they weren’t hugged enough as kids.
Maybe they’re just assholes.
I don’t know.
But in the internet world, these folks are everywhere.
It seems like it anyway.
People will act tough and say things online that they would NEVER say to someone in real life.
People hide behind their computer and act like they are JOHN RAMBO.
If you don’t know who that is, GOOGLE IT.
People are crazy!
Hell, you already knew that.
You have to understand something about these folks…
THEY WANT TO PISS YOU OFF.
That is their primary objective.
And if you let them, they WIN.
They want to win.
They want you to get mad, angry, and upset.
They want you to lose sleep over what they say.
They want to make you cry.
They want to hurt your feelings.
They want to distract you.
They want to get you so mad at them that you get into a yelling match with them online.
Some people are just wired to be ASSHOLES.
Of course, most people are nice.
Most people would never say stuff like this in real life, or online.
For some people, the internet is fantasy land and some people think they are internet GODs.
Why am I telling you all of these things?
Because you will start a business or do something online you are passionate about, and these people will find you.
They will appear out of nowhere, like a magical genie.
They will do everything in their willpower to get the best of you.
They will dislike your YouTube videos.
They will send you nasty emails.
They will do personal attacks.
They will leave crazy comments on your Facebook messages.
They will leave ignorant comments on your blog.
How you react to these things will have a big impact in your life.
Do not take it personal.
I know, easier said than done.
Do not respond to them.
Block them.
Delete their emails immediately.
Ban them from your group.
Block their IP address.
Delete their comments on your blog without replying.
Once again, do not respond.
If you respond, two things can happen.
First off, what you say WILL be a public record.
Never forget that.
Post something on Facebook or send an email IT IS PERMANENT.
Crap on the internet does not go away when you delete it, even if you think it does.
It can be held against you in the court of law.
Yes, we still have Free Speech in America, but not everything is protected.
The last thing you want to end up with is an expensive lawsuit for slander or defamation.
Secondly, when you respond to these folks in a nasty way, you have become just like them.
That’s what they want.
They want you to shout, say bad things, swear, and point your finger at them.
They want your blood pressure to go through the roof.
When you do that, they win.
That excites them.
They stand up in their underwear and do their victory dance saying “I’ve got one!”
I’m currently dealing with several people like this.
I have decided to block them, stop responding to their emails and delete all their comments.
You know what?
It feels liberating.
It feels really good.
I hope you will deal with internet trolls like I do.
In summary, when you deal with internet trolls, the best thing you can do is ignore/delete their comments, and block them.
Whatever you do, don’t respond to them.
Don’t get in a shouting match with them.
That’s what they want.
When you do that, they win.
You are better than that.
Don’t let some random, angry person sitting in their underwear at home on the other side of the country get the best of you.
It ain’t worth it.
I hope that helps.
What do you think?
How do you deal with internet trolls?
Leave a comment below to share your thoughts.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
P.S. Learn how to grow a successful network marketing business. Secret tips, training, and practical ideas. Free training delivered by email.
What on earth does right-clicking have to do with copyright? I wanted to open one of your posts in a new tab – couldn’t do it.
On another note, what I’m gathering from this post is that anybody who disagrees with you is a troll and should be banned. Alternate opinions are not welcome here.
Disagreeing is fine.
It’s when people make personal attacks, call names or get nasty that I do not tolerate.
Most people cannot have an intelligent debate without resorting to name calling, cussing, or personal attacks.
When you see all the comments on Facebook, Yahoo and other media sites you will see what I am talking about.
Even people on YouTube leave crazy comments.
I appreciate your comment and hope you have a great day.
how do u block these people or block there ip address I know how to block on my phone its cool wont even ring but tells me they tried to call again
The right click is disabled because hundreds of people have highlighted an entire post of mine and posted it on their own blog as if they were the author of it, without citing the source. They have done this on both my websites, so I disabled the right clicking. I spend a lot of time writing articles, and money hiring other writers, and have no desire for a bunch of other people to steal my content. I hope that makes sense. Have a great day.
Thanks for reminding me Chuck.
Sometimes I slip and just have to respond, and it usually bites me.
They really are not worth our time or energy.
Thanks again for the reminder and may all your internet trolls soil their underwear–LOL
You’re welcome, Greg. Yep, I agree with you. I hope they soil their underwear.
The higher up the ladder you get, the more of your backside is exposed. Some immature, ignorant folks revel in the chance to take a bite or two out of it. That comes with the territory. Most can’t be reasoned with so you are correct in ignoring them. Knock the dust off your shoes and move on.
Chuck, you are now in a position that you are noticed and must set a good example. Your work is worthy of admiration, but do expect to experience disagreement and criticism. How you choose to deal with them reveals your character. Are you open-minded and willing to NOT be threatened by those that don’t agree with you 100 per cent? I hope you can be tolerant of others. (Your reactions in the past indicate you may be struggling with this.) Tolerance is part of what love is.
You and I may understand the word “hate” differently. I understand that hate is the opposite of love. However, most people don’t understand the true meanings of love and hate and use them loosely in conversation. I understand that we should love people even though we may “hate” (dislike/disapprove of) their behavior. We often (mistakenly) say we love (really like) our car or just loved (really enjoyed) that movie. Both love and hate are emotions and as such are intangible. Agape is dispassionate love, the kind that we should have for one another. Hate, on the other hand, is unacceptable as it is sinful.
When one continually forgets to take out the garbage, their spouse may say, “You don’t love me. I hate you!” Words can be used to hurt others. Often we ascribe to others what we are feeling ourselves. I have to remember that when I point my finger at the fault of another that I have three others pointing back at me. All of us tend to be hypocrites at one time or another.
It is hard to love others when one does’t love them self. That love begins when one truly understands their Creator loves them and forgives all their mistakes (sins). It matters little what one has done in the past as long as one learns from their mistakes and strives to do better in the future. So, you may have quit in the past. That doesn’t mean you will in the future. You do have a choice in the matter. Forgive yourself and move on and don’t let the opinions of others upset you. When you allow yourself to get upset, “they” win and you loose. You become a “looser” in their eyes. Chuck, you’re a winner in my eyes.
You, Chuck, have much to offer society. Remember, what you do speaks so loudly that others might not hear what you mean to say. To say that differently, we must walk our talk. You’re a great guy, Chuck. I believe you can do it!
Thanks for the comment Howard.
Hey Chuck! I couldn’t agree with you more. I have always appreciated your honesty and willingness to help out those just getting started.
Perhaps you have encountered (I’ll just use initials) JC. He works at a university in Hawaii and uses their computer to badmouth network marketers. He has been banned from TTAA. AB is a foul-mouthed housewife from Canada that sounds like a johnny-one-note. Both go by other names so as to appear to be supporting their points. Both have axes to grind due to their networking failures. RIR has no networking experience but is an expert on the negative aspects of MLM and tries to paint all businesses as pyramids. He’s expert in controlling MLM wikipedia sites to that end. Yes, the best thing to do is to ignore them and don’t give them further chances to do harm.
Once a month I review “The Five Love Languages ” by Gary Chapman. The last thing I read before writing this was something Jesus said. “Love your enemies and pray for those that persecute you.” You’re doing the right thing, Chuck.
Keep up the good work. Love you, man!
Thanks for the kind words, Howard.