You're right, we need a new coinage, a shorthand for someone who creates positive stimulation to the discussions... even if what they use to do it has negative content.
I've been thinking about the etymology of "troll" as it applies to behavior in discussion groups - internal logic tells me it's probably from trolling, as in dangling bait from a hook to see who bites, related to baiting as in "bear baiting", "Red baiting", and for those who are exceptionally good at it, "master baiting".
Working with the fishing analogy, here's a possibility for our new word:
chum
With its positive connotations of "buddy, pal, friend"; derived from the verb to chum, as in: broadcast tasty morsels on the surface to entice the really good fish to rise.
Whaddaya think?
Space/Science » in reply to A new accolade
Re: A new accolade - a nomination
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- Planet X versus Bad Astronomy!