votes.
AI Overview
Being pedantic can be considered a form of trolling, or at least a behavior that aligns with the motivations of a troll, depending on the intent behind it
. While it is often seen as a frustrating, nit-picky, and condescending interaction, its classification as "trolling" depends on whether the goal is to purposefully provoke or cause disruption.
Here is a breakdown of why, and when, being pedantic is considered trolling:
When Pedantry Is Trolling

    Intent to Provoke: If the purpose of focusing on a minor, insignificant detail is to make someone angry, feel humiliated, or to derail a conversation, it is a form of trolling.
    Purposeful Misinterpretation: Trolls often willfully misunderstand a point to force a pedantic argument, just to get a rise out of someone.
    "Sealining" or "Concern Trolling": A troll may disguise their pedantry as a "polite" correction or "helpful" information, with the actual goal of exhausting the other person, a tactic often seen as a form of social bullying.
    Focusing on Minor Slip-ups: Trolls use minor spelling or grammatical mistakes to shift focus away from the main topic, aiming to create chaos or make the user feel stupid.

When Pedantry is Not Trolling

    Genuine Correction: Sometimes a user may be genuinely interested in accuracy or correcting a misconception, even if they come across as annoying or condescending.
    Personality/Neurodivergence: Some users, particularly those with neurodivergent traits, might focus on small details because they care about accuracy or have a different communication style, without any intent to cause harm or provoke.

Why Pedantry is Common in Trolling

    Low Effort, High Reward: It is an easy, low-effort way to get a reaction, which is the primary goal of many trolls.
    Control and Power: It allows an anonymous person to dominate a conversation, forcing others to engage with their inane point.
    Anonymity: The "disinhibition effect" of the internet allows people to be more pedantic and rude than they would be in person.

In short, if the pedantic comment is intentionally designed to derail a conversation, make someone feel bad, or provoke a "bickering" match, it is definitely a form of internet trolling.