Originally Posted by Fetish Gimp

And why does the thread get derailed? That's a rhetorical question

Because somebody takes the troll's bait, gets pissed and responds seriously. Then it usually snowballs, with others taking sides either because they see the troll's game and join in the trolling or try to defend your completely and utterly useless effort of discussing with a troll, a pointless battle which you lost the moment you replied seriously.

The REAL question you should be asking yourself is: why do YOU care so much what some anonymous stranger you will most likely never meet is saying in some internet forum?

Does it make ANY difference whatsoever in your life that somebody you don't know thinks the Reptile people from Orion's belt are running the government and want to enslave humanity to harness their organs to make muffins? (They do)

Or whatever other hot-topic du jour the trolls will pick? Now it was the Boston bombing, next time will probably be that old stand-by, religion. Or whatever the trolls see that gets people mad and replying.

But rest assured, it WILL happen again. And again. And again ad nauseum.

This is why banning anyone that replies to a troll seriously would imho work. It would give that person a time-out to reassess and collect their shit. If they start a thread bitching about a troll then I'm sorry but my pity reservoir is empty.