Most bored 50 year olds don't engage in trolling or other sociopathic pursuits. I suspect a considerable number are younger and older than 50.

It's not about age. It's more about reveling in others' confusion and suffering, which might stem from their own experience of that.

The frequency of that mindset and the networking of it through technology seems like our social disease.

If life didn’t turn out how you’d like, then it might feel good to see it not go well for another.

These folks are hurting.

I agree. But if that's the case, trolling really isn't a joke, and recommendations to ignore it or not take it too seriously are misguided or disingenuous.

The judgement and recommendations of people doing the trolling don't bear much weight. I'd rather hear from the people on the receiving end. If it's not welcome, then it should stop.

> I'd rather hear from the people on the receiving end. If it's not welcome, then it should stop.

It seems kind of obvious that harassment of any kind isn't welcome by the recipient. That's given by definition of the word "harassment". I've definitely been on the receiving end for what it's worth.