On Trolling

I've often said that there are two types of people on the internet, the people who are horrible trolls, and those who aren't. But that sentence standing on its own makes it seem as if I think that half of the people in the net are mean-spirited bastards, and that's not true. However, to say that trolling is only a small problem is a gross understatement. It's like saying you'd like to visit a place where 49% of the people are completely rude and possibly homicidal, maybe even cannibalistic. Most non-trolls would agree that the world would be a better place if we could all just get along. At best, the trolls are slightly annoying. At their worst, trolls are completely unbearable. No amount of language filters can hold them back, and they will continue to plague the rest of us unless we can cut off their food source.
All trolls are known to thrive on the hate of the community. They relish when their ignorant comments get serious responses, and they bathe in the annoyance of all who they interact with. The act of "feeding the troll" is often considered to be detrimental to the health of the feeder, as they are left in an angered state and the trolls go merrily off on their own ways, after forcefully writing a few expletives and pejoratives, given. It seems the only way to stop the relentless advance of those who wish all others ill will in the internet is to put on a stone mask of indifference, but doing so comes with a price. If you actually get to the point where you are immune to the vitriolic language of a troll, you find that you have become so jaded that having fun on the internet seems almost impossible.
You may ask "how do we defeat the troll?" The sad fact of the matter is that you usually can't. No amount of reason will win you an argument with these monsters. If you stoop to there level and hurl insult after insult, the troll will surely panic and run, but you will also become a troll yourself. However, there is a quantum of hope for victory. Deep down, all trolls are actually just emotionally hurt and vulnerable people. If all else seems lost, try appealing to the inherent goodness of the troll. There is a possibility that you can convert them back into helpful members of the internet society if you do this. However, never be fooled, and never forget that most trolls have an extremely hard shell of cynicism surrounding them. Only attempt to convert trolls if you're sure you can survive their relentless barrage of insults.