The author sums up with quotes from a modernized troll forum:

“What makes a bad person? Or a good person? How do you know if you’re a bad person?”

...

“I’d say empathy is probably a factor.”

My summary:

Even though trolls, and groups of trolls, come in all shapes and sizes, extreme trolls are generally extremely disturbed and have yet to receive a more socially acceptable cure for their trolling symptoms. Instead, they decide to self-medicate by using the internet as their own Texas clock tower.

So, you choose to spend endless hours reading trolls rather than reading about them. Dude, read it. I'm not promising that you'll learn something, but it was fun.

Oh, you were joking.