Is Trolling screaming for attachment?

What does trolling make from a psychological perspective?

Is it a new, unrestrained form of sadism unleashed by the Internet? Is that the shape Obsessive Compulsiveness Disability, externalized Meme?

Or is it a cry Attachments? A perverse form of engaging community and fellowship?

This latter claim is advanced by Alfie Bown in his book. Post-comedy. In it, Bown traces parts of Western comedy history, aiming to understand the recent forms and dunk comedy that have come to dominate the media space these days.

In a provocative claim, Bown describes trolling (the purpose of angering, inducing and inducing continuous harassment of others). FreudCastration wish. By trolling very clearly, he insists that “trolls” have a repressed desire to be symbolically “castrated.” no-As a way to enter the entire community.

What is a “castration complex”?

For Freud, especially for boys, early developments in adolescence were characterized by emergency castration. anxiety– fear Losing your own penis. Now, Freud had meant this more symbolically, fearing that he would lose his independence and perhaps his core physiological properties by the threat of others. In other words, “castration” means a symbolic act noyou must be placed in your own place, follow the rules, and suppress your own impulses and desires.

As we often see, for children, experiencing “no” can be felt as a dramatic violation of freedom and independence. Many children resist this violently in school in the form of tantrums and explosions. We can even carry this resistance (castration) to adults. They can withstand and fight the jobs and policies from governments that seem to limit our freedom and independence. These often have the same existential dimensions as when we were children. Identity. It feels like a cut.

The Need for Castration in Society

However, Freud’s view on castration anxiety is no The workplace and society as a whole need authority for it to exist. It may feel oppressive, but we need to suppress our sexual drive in public society in order to ensure the safety and freedom of others.

This is Freud’s paradox of civilization – we need to some extent Restraint Submission to the authority (starting with parents) for society to function. Our ego may be costly, but it offers greater benefits as we are part of a community with laws and regulations. cooperationtrust and love.

Humans need restrictions

According to this model, humans need limitations in our independence and our desires. Uncontrolled desires and impulses lead to violence and wild bars. Certainly, we have to endure the occasional frustrating “no”, but once again, the profits we can make in exchange are immeasurable. This happens most clearly in our relationship. We learn that what we learn, often living with others, often involves compromise and limitations on our freedom (for example, if we are monogamous, we cannot pursue other romantic interests).

For Bown, Trolling is a contemporary online form of expression of attachment and community solicitation. He suggests that the troll wants to know what the limit is and where it is. They want to be told “no” because they might provide a place for the community. In adolescence psychology, this is called “negative.” Note. “Being punished or warned is far better than being ignored or ignored.

Looking at trolling from this lens may provide insight into how to deal with and manage the increasing polarization seen online. How we build communities online and in society that embrace these challenging voices seems crucial to our path forward.