Typically, when I think of a troll, my mind goes to a book I purchased at a school book fair, “The Billy Goats Gruff.” In the story, there are three goat siblings. They, of course, come in small, medium, and large sizes. They are doing what goats do, wandering around some hillside out in the country, eating grass. Over time, they eat all the good grass on one hillside and decide to head on across the creek to eat some grass on another hillside. Being the good big brothers they are, the two older goats convince their youngest brother to head across the bridge first. As he “trip traps” his way across the bridge, “a great, ugly troll” comes out from under the bridge and threatens to eat the goat. The littlest goat does some quick thinking and offers his brothers as tribute in his place, noting that as he is so small he won’t make a good meal for such a large, healthy troll, but that his larger brothers would provide more substantial sustenance. The troll, recognizing the airtight logic of the argument, allows the littlest goat to pass without further incident.
Seeing how well his little brother fared, the middle goat decides to take his turn. Once again, as he is making his way across the bridge, the troll emerges threatening to eat him for disturbing the peace. Using the same strategy that worked for the littlest goat, middle goat reasons with the troll, explaining that his brother is much bigger than he and would make a more satisfying meal than he himself would. The troll, again awed by the sage wisdom and logic of the middle goat, allows him to pass.
Finally, big brother takes his turn. As he makes his way across, the troll again emerges and announces his intent to eat the biggest goat for dinner. Big brother wastes no time. He lowers his head, plows full force ahead, and gives the troll a taste of his own medicine. The big bully of a troll falls into the stream and is carried away by the currents of life, never to be heard from again. The Three Billy Goats Gruff live happily ever after on their new hillside.
In modern English, the word troll refers to “a person who makes an offensive or provocative online post.”
It’s interesting to me how words change and develop over time. The word troll certainly fits into that category. It is a word I myself use with a fair amount of regularity, but I can’t remember how or when it became a part of my vernacular toolbox. As is the case with many cultural phenomena, I blame the internet, social media in particular. In modern English, the word troll refers to “a person who makes an offensive or provocative online post.” Trolls are those who seem to be incapable of overlooking divergent positions or opinions. Trolls are those who seem to enjoy belittling and berating others. Trolls are those who believe themselves experts on all things and feel the need to correct all the wrongs of the world. Much like the troll in the aforementioned story, trolls in the real world own a particular topic or subject and should you cross them, they will do their best to eat you alive. I would argue, however, that trolls don’t just live on the internet these days. They are around us all the time. I know that I’ve encountered several myself. And, if I’m to be completely honest, I have been the “great, ugly troll” that crawled out from under the bridge at various times. I have some suggestions for dealing with these difficult people in our lives.
Just Keep Moving – Letting it go is a lost art these days. At times, that is our best course of action. We don’t need to constantly defend every opinion we have. Sometimes, we are simply best served by scrolling past the post, changing the subject, or literally walking away from the situation. II Timothy 2:23 says it best, “Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.”
Don’t Sacrifice Others – I’ve never noticed how hateful the two younger brothers were in this story. They were more than content to use their siblings as shields. Too often we’re more than willing to pull someone else into the line of fire to take the heat off of us. We forget or ignore the golden rule; “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I’m sure you don’t want others throwing you to the trolls.
If we are ever to truly come together as a community, we will have to learn to share the bridge with those who’s “trip trapping” offends us.
Don’t Be a Troll – We need to watch what we say and what we type. It is quite possible to disagree with kindness and compassion. I’m not saying we need to be soft; I am saying we need to NOT be hateful or unnecessarily harsh. If we are ever to truly come together as a community, we will have to learn to share the bridge with those whose “trip trapping” offends us.
