troll thread
Zaltvasser – I don’t know how long you’ve been around for (I can’t see your user profile page), but let me give a you little distinction I’ve picked up over the years. There are three types of controversial posters:
A “troll thread” is designed to antagonize people.
This is more of a “rant”, in which someone has a chip on his shoulder or unhealthy obsession about a specific subject, and keeps repeating the same things in hope that someone will listen. Often enough, the post isn’t designed for someone to listen, but rather to display his rigidity and to prove that his position hasn’t changed, regardless of the numerous discussions that he has had in the past, and despite the numerous sources disproving his points.
A third type – “Controversial Topics” – is designed to inspire a discussion (or in some cases, an argument) about a topic likely to bring participants from various points of view into a lively spat.