As many of you know, every forum has “Mod”, “Users” and the ubiquitous “Trolls”. The oft-maligned troll, while viewed as many as a “negative” element of any forum experience, is in fact a necessary part of any successful forum. As good needs evil to reflect upon; as sweet can be enhanced by sour; so to is any proper forum experience furthered, nay *enhanced* by proper Trollery.

You may not be aware, but I neglect a large portion of my otherwise boring work day trolling these forums, with the intent of keeping them spirited and alive. At night, by children often suffer the back of my hand when interrupting an especially lively exchange in which my presence is required to further, or divert, a conversation.

And there, my friends, is the true, an unappreciated art of the troll. The diversion. The passion. Doing out best to save you from what would be yet another adventure across the bloody pulp of yet another trite political conversation; another “atta boy”, like-minded slapping-on-the-back of the near-clone mentality of far too many of our undereducated youth, who are falling into a society as government-knows-best “yes men” and media sheeple.

Like a surgeon removing a tumor – a painful process, often causing more immediate harm for the long term good – so too the Troll take upon himself the burden of your slings and arrows for a greater good. If done properly, the Troll is vilified and trounced upon, and the do-gooders and the mods will expect it is they themselves that have brought good upon the collective masses…when in truth, it is only through the careful and specialized prodding and baiting of the Troll that the conversation is guided, enhanced, provoked and promoted.

With this in mind, Today we Honor the Troll. I honor myself, and all my fellow “ugly” cretins who, unbeknownst to the infantile minds among us, are the true masters of the thread; the ones who keep the day going, and discussion lively; the one’s who force you put consider you ideas and repeat them until you can explain them with wisdom rather than through mindless parroting.

All Hail the Troll.