I am continually astounded by the freedom some people seem to feel while hiding behind the safe anonymity of an internet screen name… the freedom to be rude, unkind, even downright cruel to their fellow human beings. I have a difficult time understanding what on earth possesses them to treat others with such disrespect, as if they had forgotten that they were speaking to an actual person, and not just a collection of typed words on a screen.
Then again, perhaps these people are like this in their everyday lives when meeting others face to face?
A frightening prospect indeed…
100 Words, 07/31/2008
Kind of the way I think of people who road rage; they couldn’t be more arrogant, inconsiderate and of course dangerous on the road, but maybe in person they’re yoga instructors.
sandra tyler recently posted… Tale Tuesday: Moon Trees
Twitter: alphabetsalad
May 17, 2012
Ha, good point!
Laurel Regan recently posted… 100 Words Replay 10
Dawn, I have left an award for you on my blog.
http://myviewthroughkateyes.blogspot.com/2012/05/woohoo-another-award-and-another.html
Kat recently posted… WooHoo! Another Award! And another!
Twitter: alphabetsalad
May 17, 2012
Thank you so much, Kat – I will check it out!
Laurel Regan recently posted… 100 Words Replay 10
I couldn’t agree more–and I’ve run into so often on the internet. It is sad to think that some people don’t remember a real live human is on the other side of those words
Cheers, Jenn.
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May 17, 2012
It really is sad – and surprisingly common!
Laurel Regan recently posted… 100 Words Replay 10
marika here, I have spent the past couple of days sneaking through your blog – and I love it! You are now a must read! I need to send Becks a thank you note.
More then anything that I hate reading the comments section on ANY internet story. It could be a happy puppy story on there, and someone will make a snotty comment.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
May 17, 2012
You made my day, Marika – thank you so much for your kind words! I really look forward to getting to know you better. 🙂
And I agree about the comments thing. It’s amazing how that happens!
Laurel Regan recently posted… 100 Words Replay 10
I have a feeling they might be a bit like that in real life too…
Lou Lou Loves recently posted… Should stay-at-home mums be banned? part 2
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May 17, 2012
I do too, actually – frightening!
Laurel Regan recently posted… 100 Words Replay 10
Twitter: genepooldiva
May 17, 2012
I was suprised when a fellow writer had a temper tantrum during an online class when the beauty of the internet is the time to sit back and think before reacting.
The written word lingers far longer than a muttered complaint.
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May 17, 2012
Very true, on both points!
Laurel Regan recently posted… 100 Words Replay 10
Some of them are like that in real life, but most of them would probably cower from a face to face confrontation.
I’m not going to lie; I’m like that. I say things on the internet that I wouldn’t ever say in person. (Does that make me two-faced?)
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May 17, 2012
I suspect we all do, to a degree – I’m far more outgoing online than I am in person, for example, so from that perspective I say things online that I probably wouldn’t be brave enough to say in real life. But I’m not any meaner (at least I don’t think I am)!
Laurel Regan recently posted… 100 Words Replay 10
This is especially true right now in the US and here in North Carolina since our contentious battle over someone’s civil rights.
People on Facebook and in online newspaper comments are so full of venom over this and they just spit and spit and spit!
Seems that while those who were/are against the amendment are sad, hurt, and yes- angry, the ones who actually got what they wanted are incredibly defensive and lashing out.
Yes, some of them will still be that wretched face to face, given the chance (at protests carrying signs that say “God hates so-and-so,” for example), but when people get carried away online because they feel protected or even anonymous, it’s a danger to all of us because it’s so incredibly infectious.
The Shiny Butter Blog recently posted… Thank You, Amendment One, For The Ass-Kicking- Let The Wild Rumpus Begin
Twitter: alphabetsalad
May 17, 2012
I can only imagine what it must be like right now in your state! I totally agree about the infectious issue – one person spouts off and it makes others braver, as if it’s now “ok” to do so. People. 🙁
Laurel Regan recently posted… 100 Words Replay 10
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