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The parent comment is obviously stupid and has already been down-voted, so HN is doing its job? There is no need to feed the troll.


>The parent comment is obviously stupid and has already been down-voted, so HN is doing its job? There is no need to feed the troll.

It's visible, and from my experience, it's not obviously stupid to many people, while being actively harmful.

This is not a trolling comment either, so I don't feel like "feeding the troll" metaphor applies. The "do not feed the troll" advice is usually given to not create opportunities for the troll to come and engage with.

Bigots are not trolls. When countered and having nothing to say, they shut down. Unlike trolls (who say things to simply provoke emotions), bigots want to feel in the right, and will abandon the conversations (and spaces) where that isn't feasible.

To stop the troll, you stop feeding them. When met with no response, trolls move on to something else.

To stop the bigot, you stand up to them. When met with no response, bigots feel emboldened, and do more of the same.

There is no need to feed the trolls. There is a need to stand up to bigotry.




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