Everywhere, on every topic.

I've found that using words with more than two syllables can confuse and set them off of their game.

You are not going to change a troll's mind, he doesn't have one. He's a parrot, trying to amplify what Koch front groups have told him in a fruitless attempt to appear dead clever.

I got troll burnout a long time ago. I will not post to politically mixed groups. I will not be on any sort of politically mixed discussion panel. I will not allow right wing emails into my inbox, even if I block friends and family to get rid of them. I did warn them.

Still, I would rather see these people than be one of them. Imagine going through life with a head so empty it must be filled with crackpot theories of all types disseminated by angry, loudmouthed halfwits on AM radio. Imagine their inability to deal with silence.

I'm not surprised at your burnout. Just remember that educating trolls is like trying to explain rocket science to a toaster. It won't work and the toaster knows it's outside its capacity and ignores it.

I'm not on Farcebook for a lot of reasons. The proliferation of trolls trying to set up low information voters is only one of those reasons. It's a wretchedly bad social network with an appalling business model.

are dealing with and seeing them (the "others&quot as genetic dead ends.

its bad juju when trying to build consensus, but hey, it is your right to be sure.

Then combine it with research (which has been repeated, by the way) that shows that people who believe in idiocy will only become firmer in that belief when contradicted by facts. Try to understand that.

At that point you will realize why arguing with a parrot is futile.

The only useful strategy is laughter.

doesn't lead me to frustration or laughter or anything but pity for what can only be described as a targeted and yet unwieldy misanthropy. your attitude seems similar to how abused kids then abuse the other weaker spirits in their lives. a terrible cycle.

this statement "Then combine it with research (which has been repeated, by the way) that shows that people who believe in idiocy will only become firmer in that belief when contradicted by facts." should be enough for you to chew on a whole bottle of blood pressure pills and end it all, but you still persist here and in your real life. I don't think you believe that at all my friend.

does that help you in any way?

same thing, and also believe it's the only rational way to deal with them.

Unless one actually enjoys frustrating conversations with brick walls.

Some people do seem to love that sort of thing. At some point a reasonable person realizes that arguing with a brick wall goes absolutely nowhere.

..and took a long break. My perspective on life and people changed, and I am a much nicer person. I've only been hanging around for a short time but I'm starting to feel the difference. I just don't have what it takes to absorb so much crap and not be affected by it.

Do NOT feed the trolls.

Engaging with them is futile to you, but keeps them strong.

fortunately, here on DU, we have very helpful trash thread and ignore options.

Sometimes you should just ignore them. Sometimes just a factual question shuts em up. Sometimes you can just give them a snarky reply. ie "Rightwingnutjob, i would like to agree with you but then we would both be wrong." Another one I use frequently is. "Rightwingnutjob, do the nurses know you are on the computer?" You can also blast them with snopes.com. I also repeat myself at times if they ignore my question statement I will not say they have not answered it i will just repeat it.in any case do not think you have to get the last word in. just post your reply and forget about it.