SYKES' TAKE ON - DISSECTING TROLLS

Yesterday an article appeared in a well-known UK newspaper by a British television newsreader, presenter and journalist.  It is a well-written piece and launched a strong attack on the internet posters that infest the various sites and forums set up  to discuss the Madeleine McCann case,   These are  the ones that send videos, pictures, reams of paper about their theories to the Police, attack anyone that disagrees with them with insults, verbal and physical threats, and generally poke their unwanted long noses into the ongoing case.   Upon the appearance of this article, we had name calling, insinuations of sexual misconduct, threats to contact the newspaper's CEOs and have the reporter sacked, just the same kind of behavor we have come to expect each time someone dares to question the 'party line'.  In an idle moment yesterday evening after watching a murder mystery on TV I fell to musing on why they behave as they do and came up with various reasons - bullying at school, low esteem, less than average scholastic achievements, being in a job that has no real future in the field of achieving potential, the ease of obtaining drink and drugs, and bad parenting, the last one being the most lethal.  We are influenced in our early years by our parents and maybe their parents, and if there is little or no guidance as we grow and mature, and the home is a battlefield instead of a haven of peace we will have no chance of changing our ways.   Physical and sexual abuse by the adults can often seem the norm and the child will grow up aping its parents.   A lot of what comes over in the tweets and posts shows a dysfunctional background.   We cannot expect much change at present; perhaps one day someone will wake up and realise that a materialistic, me-me-me society is the road to damnation, not to real happiness.