--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I tend to feed the trolls because it…" description: "\"I tend to feed the trolls because it gives me material for my work. I'm sometimes taken aback by the racist and antisemitic abuse I get, but most of th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/david-baddiel-4416_abuse_i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-giv_2872526.jpg" --- # I tend to feed the trolls because it gives me material for… ![“I tend to feed the trolls because it gives me material for my work. I'm sometimes taken aback by the racist and antisemitic abuse I get, but most of the time I'll get angry for a second, and then remind myself, 'This is material.' The trick is not to be too reactive.” quote by David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/david-baddiel-4416_abuse_i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-giv_2872526.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/david-baddiel-4416_abuse_i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-giv_2872526.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/david-baddiel-4416_abuse_i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-giv_2872526.jpg) > “I tend to feed the trolls because it gives me material for my work. I'm sometimes taken aback by the racist and antisemitic abuse I get, but most of the time I'll get angry for a second, and then remind myself, 'This is material.' The trick is not to be too reactive.” [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeding trolls provides material, but reacting too strongly is counterproductive. **In simple terms:** Trolls can inspire work; stay calm. Key Takeaway Use trolls as creative fuel. Themes creativity online culture emotional regulation Mood wry reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - social media - writing - stand‑up comedy Key Concepts trolling content creation psychology Questions to Reflect On - How to balance anger and productivity? - What boundaries protect mental health? A Different Perspective Over‑reacting fuels negativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Antisemitic Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antisemitic-abuse-3937756/) [Feed Trolls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feed-trolls-1257971/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trolls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trolls/) [Trolls Gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trolls-gives-3937755/) [Twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twitter/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Don't feed the trolls; nothing fuels them so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/don-t-feed-the-trolls-nothing-fuels-them-so-much/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek, which is an ancient way of saying 'Don't feed the trolls.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jesus-tells-us-to-turn-the-other-cheek-which-is-an-ancient-way-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have learned not to feed the trolls. I just don't respond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-brunetti/i-have-learned-not-to-feed-the-trolls-i-just-don-t-respond/) [Dana Brunetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-brunetti/) > [People throw insults at you, and sometimes they hit a nerve - and it's about not showing that, because they will pick on that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maisie-williams/people-throw-insults-at-you-and-sometimes-they-hit-a-nerve-and-it-s/) [Maisie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maisie-williams/) > [So this is why I can't agree with "don't feed the trolls." When millionaire celebrity broadcasters and entire publications start trolling, ignoring them isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/so-this-is-why-i-can-t-agree-with-don-t-feed-the-trolls-when/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [“What “don’t feed the trolls” misses is that, for these online cybersexist abusers, it doesn’t matter whether or not a woman responds to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bailey-poland/what-don-t-feed-the-trolls-misses-is-that-for-these-online/) [Bailey Poland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bailey-poland/) > [Do not feed the trolls! Racist commenters usually troll the Internet looking for people of color to harass online. If you avoid responding, oftentimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franchesca-ramsey/do-not-feed-the-trolls-racist-commenters-usually-troll-the-internet/) [Franchesca Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franchesca-ramsey/) > [I like trolls. Some trolling I find very entertaining. The sheer abuse can be hilarious, and so random and absurd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-like-trolls-some-trolling-i-find-very-entertaining-the-sheer-abuse/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Our culture is being shaped by trolls and the Holocaust deniers are a very extreme example of the trolls. Ignoring them has not worked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/our-culture-is-being-shaped-by-trolls-and-the-holocaust-deniers-are-a/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Even my trolls have started taking the trouble to spell their Tweets correctly, which is thoughtful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/even-my-trolls-have-started-taking-the-trouble-to-spell-their-tweets/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [Trolls look for reasons to hate but really what they are mad at is the fact they are not included in anything ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/trolls-look-for-reasons-to-hate-but-really-what-they-are-mad-at-is/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Trolls have never bothered me. I am someone who looks at it and laughs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmin-bhasin/trolls-have-never-bothered-me-i-am-someone-who-looks-at-it-and-laughs/) [Jasmin Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmin-bhasin/) > [“Overnight, all comment boards became civil, all posters held accountable. The trolls, who had more or less overtaken the internet, were driven back into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/overnight-all-comment-boards-became-civil-all-posters-held/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [Whatever I post on social media, trolls will always have something to say. If I don't get trolled, I feel I have not done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-khan/whatever-i-post-on-social-media-trolls-will-always-have-something-to/) [Sara Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-khan/) > [There will always be people who will first wait for somebody's comment and then attack them. I'll say they are just cowards. They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soni-razdan/there-will-always-be-people-who-will-first-wait-for-somebody-s/) [Soni Razdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soni-razdan/) ## More by David Baddiel > [It was definitely a challenging upbringing. My parents were by no means perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/it-was-definitely-a-challenging-upbringing-my-parents-were-by-no/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [We're not designed to know hundreds of people - we're designed to know four people in our village. So the only way we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/we-re-not-designed-to-know-hundreds-of-people-we-re-designed-to-know/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Now 'South Park' - they are interested in blasphemy. They're interested in creating offence for its own sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/now-south-park-they-are-interested-in-blasphemy-they-re-interested-in/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [I have an issue with classical music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-have-an-issue-with-classical-music/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [When I retweet a troll, I'm not thinking of the troll, I'm thinking of the audience: how can I make them laugh with me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/when-i-retweet-a-troll-i-m-not-thinking-of-the-troll-i-m-thinking-of/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Fame is a silly thing that makes your life absurd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/fame-is-a-silly-thing-that-makes-your-life-absurd/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [For a long time, I used to think that I had a man's brain that I thought more like a man than a woman.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/for-a-long-time-i-used-to-think-that-i-had-a-man-s-brain-that-i/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [All of my children's books are attempts to tap into what I believe to be children's, and to some extent human beings', fantasies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/all-of-my-children-s-books-are-attempts-to-tap-into-what-i-believe-to/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [I had probably never met a non-Jew until the age of 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-had-probably-never-met-a-non-jew-until-the-age-of-12/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [I'm not saying Jews should only play Jews... I personally think actors should be allowed to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-m-not-saying-jews-should-only-play-jews-i-personally-think-actors/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [My theory as to why I first became a comedian is that my mother was always keenest on my younger brother, Dan. It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/my-theory-as-to-why-i-first-became-a-comedian-is-that-my-mother-was/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Most people who know me well say I am almost autistically myself. I like to never change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/most-people-who-know-me-well-say-i-am-almost-autistically-myself-i/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [Unfortunately, we no longer live in a culture where what is spoken about and what truths are told and what lies are told are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/unfortunately-we-no-longer-live-in-a-culture-where-what-is-spoken/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [An academic is what I would have been if I hadn't been successful as a comedian. I've never had a proper job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/an-academic-is-what-i-would-have-been-if-i-hadn-t-been-successful-as/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) > [There are no gatekeepers in children's literature. There are children who like what you write because it's funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/there-are-no-gatekeepers-in-children-s-literature-there-are-children/) [David Baddiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) [Explore all 105 David Baddiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I tend to feed the trolls because it gives me material for my work. I'm sometimes taken aback by the racist and antisemitic abuse I get, but most of the time I'll get angry for a second, and then remind myself, 'This is material.' The trick is not to be too reactive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Baddiel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-gives-me-material-for-my-work-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-gives-me-material-for-my-work-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/david-baddiel-4416_abuse_i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-giv_2872526.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/david-baddiel-4416_abuse_i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-giv_2872526.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3b/david-baddiel-4416_abuse_i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-giv_2872526.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I tend to feed the trolls because it gives me material for my work. I'm sometimes taken aback by the racist…” — David Baddiel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Baddiel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baddiel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I tend to feed the trolls...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-gives-me-material-for-my-work-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baddiel/i-tend-to-feed-the-trolls-because-it-gives-me-material-for-my-work-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```