Paul GrahamVerified account

Found a fabulous book published in 1675 called The Governance of the Tongue. It's basically about trolls. Chapters include "Of Detraction," "Of Lying Defamation," and "Of Scoffing and Derision."

Does it seem like we've made any progress since then? Perhaps we've collectively figured out an effective way to deal with one type of troll, rendering it extinct?

I haven't read the book yet (just got it today) but judging by what I see on Twitter, I'm not optimistic.

One of the most surprising things I've learned from forums and Twitter is how widespread the tendency to argue like a politicians is. I used to think only politicians, lawyers, etc did it. But in fact it seems closer to the truth to say that it's the default.