I should have said (confessed) that I have sometimes wasted my effort addressing trolls. The temptation is greatest when I am angriest at the MSM and along comes a troll using MSM tactics or otherwise working for MSM goals (suppression of truth, opinion). Turn on the TV and it’s wall to wall lies and FAKE NEWS. The frustration is real. But kicking a troll has yet to reduce that frustration. :/
It’s not a waste of time. There are things. One send a message that you are not fooled or intimiated and flush them out. Now I know not only who to ignore but what their individual tactics are. Ad hominems are not a legitimate tactic in reasoned argument, but it is a legitimate tactic to draw the opposition out.
Yeah, when you kick them they get encouraged! Hurts your toe and they like it.