Every day, across every corner of social media, people share moments of honesty: grief, struggle, loss, or reflection. And every day, those moments are met with laugh reacts, cruel jokes, or heartless comments. It’s jarring, disheartening, and painfully common.
So, what possesses someone to respond to vulnerability with mockery? The answer comes down to two things: cowardice and the illusion of anonymity.
The Troll’s Playbook: Hiding Behind the Screen
These people rarely use their real names. They hide behind burner accounts with absurd or faceless handles like “silly_anon_47” or “troll_master_007.” Deep down, they know exactly what they’re doing. They know their opinions are baseless, cruel, and devoid of empathy.
They would never have the courage to say these things face-to-face, where they’d have to see the pain they cause. But the internet gives them cover. It lets them throw verbal punches and walk away, free of consequence or accountability.
This isn’t humor, and it isn’t clever. It’s emotional immaturity on public display, driven by a craving for power and attention. Trolls don’t want conversation; they want chaos. Their cruelty isn’t a reflection of strength, but of weakness. They hide because they know their views can’t survive the light of day.
Your Reaction Is Their Reward
Here’s the truth: trolls thrive on your response.
Every time you try to correct them, call them out, or show that their words hurt, they win. That reaction is their entertainment. Your frustration, your reasoning, your emotion—these are the rewards they’re after.
Don’t give them what they want. Their opinions are not grounded in truth, empathy, or integrity. They don’t deserve your time, and they certainly don’t deserve your peace.
So when you see them lurking in comment sections, remember this simple rule: don’t engage.
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Don’t point out their cruelty.
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Don’t try to prove them wrong.
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Don’t debate them.
They do not care. They only want you to care.
The Only Winning Strategy: Report, Block, and Move On
The best way to deal with trolls is complete disengagement. You have the tools:
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Block them. Remove their access to your content and free your feed from their presence.
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Report them. It might seem futile, but it isn’t. Each report adds friction. Each inconvenience chips away at the “fun” of their hobby. The harder it becomes for them to harass others, the less satisfaction they get from doing it.
By refusing to engage, you starve them of attention and reclaim your space. You protect your mental health, preserve your focus, and reinforce that cruelty will never earn influence.
Their behavior reflects who they are, not who you are. Let them stay hidden in their anonymous corners while you continue showing up in the world with authenticity and empathy.
Final Thought
You can’t control what trolls post, but you can control what you give your energy to. Choose peace over provocation. Choose silence over reaction. Each time you block, report, and move on, you reaffirm that decency still matters—and that cowardice, no matter how loud, never deserves a spotlight.