Rage baiting is deliberately posting provocative content to infuriate users.

Rage bait posts combine originality with the goal to harm others by inducing anger.

Emotion-driven content hijacks the thinking brain and elicits a reaction through engagement.

I was re-watching The Office, like I usually do when higher-order cognition is elusive, and S05E03 (Business Ethics) had a classic Jim (portrayed by John Krasinski) prank on Dwight (Rainn Wilson). After Dwight claimed to have never stolen time from the company by attending to personal matters at work, Jim went to deliberately trigger Dwight into a non-work conversation:

Jim: By any chance, did you see Battlestar Galactica last night?

Andy (played by Ed Helms): No, I did not. Was that any good?

Jim: Actually, no. It was really so-so.

Dwight: Ok. [Dwight turns around, but Jim holds up the stopwatch, threatening to start it]

Jim: I mean, I like all the crazy monsters and stuff. You know, like Klingons and Wookies and all that, but... [Dwight begins to turn around again, Jim holds up the watch] Sorry, was there something you wanted to add, Dwight?

Andy: Is that anything like the original Battlestar Galactica?

Jim: You know, it's weird. It's practically a shot-for-shot remake.

Andy: Really? [Dwight closes his eyes, clutches the paper in his hands] Huh, that's cool.

Jim:........

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