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I note that not all online interactions are nasty but...
I notice on C-D, comments after lots of news articles, or online commerce (like EBay for instance) some people really get nasty and say vile things they would most likely never utter in face to face interaction.
I know that the internet cloaks everyone in some degree of anonymity, but some of this commenting really belies deep seated anger, hatred and other major problems. Are these trolls and malcontents serious? Or are they just playing a role to get attention?
What do you think? What is it about the internet that brings out the worst in people?
I note that not all online interactions are nasty but...
I notice on C-D, comments after lots of news articles, or online commerce (like EBay for instance) some people really get nasty and say vile things they would most likely never utter in face to face interaction.
I know that the internet cloaks everyone in some degree of anonymity, but some of this commenting really belies deep seated anger, hatred and other major problems. Are these trolls and malcontents serious? Or are they just playing a role to get attention?
What do you think? What is it about the internet that brings out the worst in people?
That word sums it up. Just like how normally nice people become idiots when they are hidden inside 3,000 pounds of car steel. If no one can get to you, you can be free to do or say anything you want.
I've been on forums for probably over 10 yrs and NEVER the attacks like here. One person for sure, attacks EVERYTHING I say, bring to the conversation. So I see it as attacking me the messenger. Why, who the H knows...could be this person is just out to get what I say and make IT wrong in that person's life. We have totally opposite points of view, so this is probably the reason. Just wants to make me wrong. This person does this with others as well and how long before I arrived here, I don't know. But it's the person's M.O., those who don't think like he/she gets attacks.
- No fear of reprisal. On the internet, you can say utterly hateful, bigoted, and violent things without any fear of anything really happening to you in response. Now, why so many people act in such way when given the chance... that's not the fault of the internet... it's just a reminder that a frightening number of people are just plain horrible when allowed to act "as themselves."
As an example, having worked among right-wing extremists in a "safe" environment (nothing but right-wingers and a few exceptions, like me), I can safely say that extremists are as horrible in person as they are on the internet if they know they can act however they want. Endless use of the n-word, hoping somebody "kills all those fill-in-the-blanks," being proud of their violent kids and KKK grandfather - the type of crud you'd expect to see on non-mainstream web forum. So, yes - when you see people screaming how they want to kill somebody based on a differing political view, religious view, or just being new to a video game, odds are they really are that terrible. The internet just gives them an excuse.
- Fake news everywhere. It's easy to find websites that "prove" whatever bigoted idiocy, conspiracy theories, or partisan political drivel one likes. That, in turn, fuels people's rage and certainty that they are right and everyone else is an "idiot" who needs to be ripped apart in a forum somewhere.
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