Lurking and curious

[hippybngstockng]

I've been lurking around LJ waiting for my landlord's son-in-law to come monkey with my sink... I'm bored, oh yah...

So I am curious, any long term, or just highly informed LJ users out there can tell me the REAL difference between a "Troll" and a "Serial adder"? There seems to be much debate on the topic, but none that I can seem to comprehend... Maybe it's just my newbie-ness showing again. I have neither problem, but am damn curious what distinguishes the one from the other besides Trolls being famously rude... I would assume that adders are also rude or they would just be called "desperate" ;)

Comments

[wingedelf.livejournal.com]

I think "serial adders" just have the desperate cry for attention from anyone that they add a bunch of people and comment on things, trying to get *someone* to respond. I think 'leeches' might be a better catch-phrase for them.

They're (imo) mostly harmless, unless you're (generic you- not you specifically) one of those people who posts highly personal stuff regularly, in which case, you should probably just make your journal friends' only, rather than kick up shitstorms every time someone who's name you don't recognize comments on something (or shows up on your friends' list).

Trolls, on the other hand, join communities and add people's journals for the express purpose of stirring up shit. It's probably a cry for attention, too, but manifested in a much less acceptable manner.

[hippybngstockng.livejournal.com]

I'm not scared of them so much as being scared of getting labelled as one :) Since I'm new-ish I've still been adding people, and I just started adding strangers, sometimes without saying hello... But I am not desperate and sad and I only add people one at a time and I think the most people I added in a week was 4 so I doubt unless I really worked at it that anyone would be scared :)