If you've been creating content for any length of time, you've probably encountered them. Not the occasional person who simply disagrees with your opinion, but the hardcore troll. The person who seems to leave brutal comments everywhere they go.
Over the years, I've developed a habit whenever someone leaves an especially nasty comment on one of my posts or videos. I click on their profile.
I'm not looking for ammunition. I'm looking for understanding.
What I've noticed, at least in my own experience, is that an overwhelming majority of these accounts either have very little original content, no content at all, or are private accounts that reveal almost nothing about the person behind them.
That doesn't prove anything by itself, but it does make me wonder why.
Here are a few possible psychological factors.
They Never Experience Creative Vulnerability
Creating something original requires courage.
Whether it's a video, a song, a blog post, a painting, or a business, you're putting a piece of yourself in front of strangers and inviting judgment.
People who never create may never experience that vulnerability. Without that perspective, it becomes much easier to criticize someone else's work than to appreciate the effort that went into making it.
Criticism Is Easier Than Creation
Anyone can spend ten seconds typing, "This sucks."
Creating the content that comment is attached to may have taken ten hours... or ten weeks.
Some people become experts at consuming content without ever becoming contributors themselves.
They Risk Nothing
When you publish your work, you're taking a risk.
Someone may hate it.
Someone may laugh at it.
Someone may reject it.
The hardcore troll often risks nothing at all. They criticize from the sidelines without exposing themselves to the same scrutiny.
Anonymity Reduces Accountability
Many of these accounts reveal very little about the person behind them.
The less accountable people feel, the easier it often becomes to say things they would probably never say face-to-face.
They May Be Looking for Power
A cruel comment can make someone feel important.
For a brief moment, they feel as though they have the ability to affect another person's emotions.
That's a temporary feeling of power, even if it's destructive.
They May Be Projecting Their Own Frustrations
Sometimes the success, confidence, or persistence of another creator reminds people of things they haven't accomplished themselves.
Instead of asking, "Why haven't I started?" they ask, "Why should this person succeed?"
Not every troll fits this description, but it's one possible explanation.
Creators Usually Criticize Differently
One interesting thing I've noticed is that genuine creators tend to offer criticism differently.
Instead of saying, "This is garbage," they might say, "The audio could be better," or, "The pacing felt a little slow."
Why?
Because they understand how difficult creating something actually is.
They've been there themselves.
Don't Let Them Stop You
Hardcore trolls have existed for as long as people have shared ideas publicly.
The internet simply gave them a larger audience.
The important thing to remember is this:
The people creating the world are rarely the same people trying to tear it down.
Keep creating.
Keep learning.
Keep improving.
The greatest response to a hardcore troll isn't another insult.
It's your next piece of content.
Disclaimer: These observations are based on my own experiences after repeatedly looking at the profiles of people who leave particularly harsh comments on my content. They are not meant to explain every negative commenter or suggest that all people with private or inactive accounts behave this way.
Bob Craypoe
Founder of Craypoe Productions
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