The internet gives people the opportunity to hide behind anonymous identities and act on their worst impulses, behaving in ways they never would in their actual lives. While the people who hurl slurs and epithets on the internet are normally cowards who would never actually say those things to anyone’s face, that’s not always the case: This guy who is incredibly creepy towards women and blatantly racist on the internet is 100% the same way in real life.
Well, not that this makes him a good person or anything, but at least his honesty is refreshing!
Online, 26-year-old cryptocurrency miner Paul Linwood is the prototypical internet troll. He makes blatantly sexual comments about women (or harshly criticizes their appearances), says unambiguously hateful things about “blacks” and “the Jews,” and frequently threatens to “kick the shit” out of anyone who calls him out on his abhorrent behavior. In his real life, however, he is also this way. When Paul goes to the mall and sees a woman he doesn’t find attractive, he yells, “Ham hocks!” or, “26 going on 46!” He strikes up racist conversations with anyone within earshot, and threatens anyone who takes offense to his clearly unhinged behavior with a “thorough ass-kicking,” which he has been known to deliver on when pressed.
Paul’s dedication to being a sexist, racist, violent piece of shit in every aspect of his life and not just online stands in stark contrast to the behavior of most spineless internet trolls who, upon being unmasked, claim that they’ve just been “playing a character” or “blowing off some steam” and that they “aren’t like that in real life at all.” And as opposed to other anonymous trolls who often say that they “weren’t trying to hurt anyone,” Paul will admit point-blank that he is always trying to hurt everyone. For some, trolling on the internet is like playing a game of Grand Theft Auto, where one can live out their darkest wish fulfillment after a hard day of being a kind and productive member of society. But for Paul, there is no such distinction. He is 100% the worst, 24/7.
Look, this type of guy definitely still sucks, but you’ve really got to admire that he lets everyone know it, whether online or off.
Paul stands out as a fascinating case study of someone who not only talks the talk of being a toxic troll, but also walks the walk. He may be a lot of things, nearly all of them terrible, but one thing he’s not is dishonest. And honesty is in short supply in a world where everyone can pretend to be someone they’re not on the internet. Kudos, Paul!
