Don't Pet the Troll.

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"Never wrestle with a pig, you'll both get dirty and the pig loves it."

~ George Bernard Shaw.

As social media becomes more and more a part of our communication stream there lurks in the shadows a dangerous creature that wants to draw you into their dark, bottomless, pit. The Troll.The Troll is a mischievous creature who seeks to antagonize and irritate you.

The Troll is hungering for a reaction, any reaction, and feeds off you participating and rolling around in their mud. Be careful my friends for the Troll can suck your time, attention and mind share unless you have measures to identify them. Should you respond to every comment?

That's up to you. Courtesy says if it's delivered with sincerity and meets your guidelines for decorum - yes. But be wary and you might want to use the four 'A' guidelines I favor to see whether productive communication is likely to continue. Those who hide behind Anonymity and seek to Attack or Antagonize tend to be those to Avoid.

Respond to comments, converse with contrarians, communicate with those who challenge your ideas and certainly deal with complaints.

But be wary of the Trolls that lurk in darkness.