Online trolls are usually contrasted with ordinary Internet users who suffer from their attacks. We are supposedly adequate, polite and reasonable, while they, aggressive, cruel and hating everyone, come in the comments and ruin everything. In fact, it’s not trolls who should be blamed for the fact that the Internet is sometimes scary to go to. Trolls are not the scum of society; on the contrary, they fit perfectly into the modern media landscape. They are born and nurtured by the world of the mainstream - its morals, its institutions, its ideals and attitudes, and perform a number of important functions in it. Whitney Phillips figured out how the dark side of the Internet works and who its inhabitants are. I found out why, and most importantly, why people troll. Armed with this knowledge, you will not only feel more confident on the Internet, but you will also understand a lot about the modern world as a whole. And this is true even if you yourself are a troll.