18. Do Online Trolls Really Matter?
My next book is going to be about YouTuber mental health, and this is definitely going to be a topic. This is something that so many of us struggle with in the age of social media. Remember how I keep telling you that nobody can make you feel a certain way? You're in control. We let random people online affect us in so many ways.
Don't let something small and insignificant like an online troll ruin your day. We talked earlier in this book about how much time we have wasted on being angry. This doesn't just go for online trolls either. It goes for life in general. Think about how one comment in the morning can ruin the rest of your day. The day is far too long to let one thing ruin it for us. Let it go and figure out a way to be more useful to yourself and others.
Also, remember that everything isn't about you. My son deals with bullies all the time at his elementary school. I always try to remind him that those kids might have an awful home life. While it doesn't excuse the behavior, it helps give us a little empathy for the situation. These trolls online most likely have messed up lives, and even if it's not true, lie to yourself. Just like we discussed in the chapter about lying to yourself, make believe that the online troll just found out their childhood home got destroyed by a T-Rex or something. Whatever it takes to not let that stuff occupy space in your mind.
As someone who spent most of my teenage years as an online troll, I'm here to tell you that these are people with their own issues, and you should feel bad for them. I know that sounds like something corny you tell a child, but it's real talk. That person is probably hurting, and maybe you should ask them if they're doing alright and if they want to talk about it.
On my Instagram, I get mixed reviews about how I post comments from online trolls and my replies. I do it to show people that you don't have to let it affect you. I see so many people have to take breaks from social media or even my fellow YouTubers needing to take breaks because of online trolls. We give these complete strangers far too much power over our lives.
Online troll hack: Whether it's a troll or someone online you disagree with, reply once and only once. This is something I've been doing for years. We make the mistake by staying caught in a back and forth with these people, and as mentioned in the previous chapter, you're not going to change their beliefs. Say your peace without being a dick and don't reply again to the comment. Now, you may want to, or you might be thinking, "But Chris, then I'll look like a punk!"...Go back to foundation #3 and ask yourself why you're so afraid of what people think about you.
