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People on the internet are so mean for the same reason people in real life are so mean.
This is pretty much it, but the point is, many people would never say the things to someone's face that they do on the web. I don't claim to be superior to others in this regard, although I have gotten better.
But you are generally right. People with problems and complaints in life, pretty much take it out on others on the web.
I'm losing my faith in forums. Even though C-D is tightly moderated it seems like the trolls and rude people keep getting through. I'm beginning to think it's just not worth it. Maybe it's time for me to start my attempt at writing a novel instead of wasting my typing on forums.
But then how would you get your reputation points! People need to rack up the points to look important and that is one of the main problems on this forum. Maybe if C-D didn't show reputation points and how many times one's posts have been read, people wouldn't be so mean. But we live in a rated society and everyone strives for as many likes as possible, while being as unliked as possible. Just my two cents.
I know its just the internet, but I have noticed that people are so quick to argue or put someone down for expressing how they feel. Its like they have to find an argument in everything someone says.
Someone complained on a companies Facebook page that no one was at self check out so she couldn't get help when the machine failed. Someone responded "Its not that hard to go to a regular check stand".
I see a lot of this on the internet now.
There's many reasons but the way I look at it is it's mainly because they know they won't run the risk of getting punched/slapped/shouted at etc etc like they might do if they were rude to a stranger in person
Not that a lot of them would have the guts to do it in person I'd suspect
Personally I can't stand people like that and avoid them especially because they don't realise there's a person behind the keyboard that has feelings
Actually I've become so sick of forum snarking and nasty comments that in the last few months I've cut down from several forums to only C-D and occasionally a cooking forum.
I found out something interesting. Now that I no longer visit those other forums, I don't miss them and I have more spare time. I've gotten to the point that I only visit the cooking forum if I have a question or opinion I want advice on--I've given up other participation there.
And now I'm left with just C-D and I'm getting damn sick of the snarks and argumentative people, and particularly the nut jobs that just keep hitting at you, circular arguments, almost makes me wonder if they are schizophrenic or something.
Sometimes it seems to not matter what I say. I say up, they say down. I say red, they say green. I say hot, they say cold. Argue, argue, argue.
Oh my favorite nasty trick that has been played on me, when they disagree with me on something they go read my posts in other topics and then quote me from a different topic. Some people will do anything to win an argument. (Except there is no real winner in any topic at C-D, except in their own mind.) Mind games.
I'm reaching the point at C-D where all the arguments are driving me away. I'm about ready to move C-D to the status I now have with that cooking forum I mentioned. When I need some info or opinions I'll start a topic at C-D. If I don't need anything I won't visit the forum. It's turning out too often that people don't want help, they want arguments, they want drama, they want mind games.
I've spent a lot of time helping people here, in subject areas where I know the answer. I feel like I've done some good and I have a pretty decent rep that shows that. My helpful posts are just about near the end on account of all the nastiness I get. Who needs this?
I'm not so self centered that I think anybody will miss me, but if any of you notice my old posts some day and wonder where I went to, you can infer that I finally got damned sick of all the drama and quit posting here.
Makes perfect sense.
My innerwebz history is somewhat similar. In the past, I was on any number of forums, even moderating a couple, and it was FUN. I even made some real-life friends. Gradually, the rot crept in.
Now, it's just CD and one or two hobby forums, one of which is huge, but moderated diligently, so arguments and plain snake-mean posts are rare and WILL get deleted if you report them. And even then, I read more than I post; how often can someone enthuse ove this widget and that grommet before it gets tedious?
This nastiness is creeping into just about everywhere. All the adults have left the room.
But then how would you get your reputation points! People need to rack up the points to look important and that is one of the main problems on this forum. Maybe if C-D didn't show reputation points and how many times one's posts have been read, people wouldn't be so mean. But we live in a rated society and everyone strives for as many likes as possible, while being as unliked as possible. Just my two cents.
You could be right.. I never think about reputation points and dont look at anyone elses but maybe some do..
Little man syndrome from behind the keyboard...for some.
On average, I think it's because the typed word has no inflection, can lose meaning, and can quickly escalate to conflict due to misunderstanding of the message as typed.
I basically commonly use Internet these days primarily to read current events, check a single forum, and maintain a single social media profile. That's my only real interactive use...otherwise, I'm just using it as at reference...looking up recipes, directions, times of events, hours stores are open, etc. My social interaction online is basically limited to facebook, this forum, and if I comment on news stories or interact with those who do.
I've observed by far the most asinine behavior on news story comment sections, then among forum posters, then among Facebook users (mainly because those, I select...though you can run into somebody's friend commenting who is a jerk, etc., and people who are unpleasant just don't make the cut. News comment sections are troll breeding grounds, though. It makes it so cumbersome to get to actual, intelligent discussion.
Little man syndrome from behind the keyboard...for some.
On average, I think it's because the typed word has no inflection, can lose meaning, and can quickly escalate to conflict due to misunderstanding of the message as typed.
Or, humans just plain suck.
If one is a competent, skilled user of the English language, very little if any meaning has to be lost from the lack of verbal inflection or tone of voice. Of course, so many people are far from adept users of English, and so, as you say, misunderstandings abound. The other side of that coin is lack of reading comprehension. Often the same people who write poorly lack reading comprehension.
Over the years, I've lost track of the number of times that obvious sarcasm or obvious parody has gone unrecognized and the words were taken literally. Then people complain that the writer didn't use an emoticon (or whatever they are called) to indicate the sarcasm. Well, the whole delight and enjoyment of sarcasm is lost if one has to point out, "Hey, this is sarcasm."; in that case there is no point in using sarcasm. Think of Swift's "A Modest Proposal", or hundreds of other examples in world literature.
There is a huge communication and comprehension gap between the educated and the uneducated, between the literate and the semi-literate. This gap can be bridged to some extent with good will and patience, but it will always be a problem.
Sometimes tone of voice and facial expression is lost when a message is written down. The emoticons are actually a brilliant idea.
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People need to rack up the points to look important and that is one of the main problems on this forum. Maybe if C-D didn't show reputation points and how many times one's posts have been read, people wouldn't be so mean. But we live in a rated society and everyone strives for as many likes as possible, while being as unliked as possible. Just my two cents.
