It’s wild how internet trolls are basically created by the environment of social media. Nobody just wakes up one day and decides, “Yeah, I’m going to spend all my free time making strangers miserable.” It usually starts smaller, someone posts a hot take, gets a few laughs, or sees how easy it is to stir up a reaction. That dopamine hit of attention is addicting. Add anonymity on top of that, and suddenly you’ve got people saying things they’d never say face to face. But it’s not just about laughs or cruelty for cruelty’s sake. Some trolls are born out of frustration, insecurity, or the need for control in a space where they feel powerless in real life. Social media algorithms amplify this by rewarding negativity and conflict because outrage equals engagement. Over time, trolling stops being a “joke” and becomes their whole online identity. Trolls aren’t made in a vacuum they’re shaped by the systems that thrive on chaos.
