• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

is anonymity an excuse to be an a$$hole?

miss fortune

not to be trusted
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I talk to people all day long.... lots and lots of random people... on top of that I have a rather large extended family. Despite all of these interactions though, I have NEVER run across as many people who are as contrary, disagreeable and likely to pass judgement on others for really dumb reasons as I manage to on this forum :rolli:

WTF?! It's supposed to be an excuse to UNDERSTAND people who are different than you are- tools to actually appreciate differences between people and yet I haven't run across a day when someone isn't complaining about somebody else because they're different in some way (oftentimes it's over some silly letter that wouldn't matter in day to day interaction with people, but is a good excuse to think that someone's dumb, overly sensitive, or a total prick on here). What the hell is wrong with everyone? Is the anonymity of the internet a good excuse just to let your inner bitch run free? :huh:
 

miss fortune

not to be trusted
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
yeah, but you kind of fail at being a convincing asshole SH :laugh:
 

Atomic Fiend

New member
Joined
Nov 16, 2007
Messages
7,275
I'm not that anonymous here. People know my name, my number, and at least 3 know where I reside.
 
H

Hate

Guest
Since I'm new to talking to people online it's definitely a new phenomenon for me. I'm not used to people acting in that manner when I can't see them. It definitely took some getting used to, but I think I've adjusted to it. I don't have a problem with the sarcastic/funny assholes because they're entertaining, but then there's those few that seem to be real assholes and lack humor.
 

miss fortune

not to be trusted
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
it's the people who GENUINELY beleive that they are better just because of a letter that really confuse me... that's just so incredibly STUPID :doh:
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
I think some people find the Internet a freeing place to be honest. I think I see it more as that.

For others, they may even use it as a place to let genuinely sadistic impulses run free. Now that...that disturbs me. Though I have a hard time believing that truly cruel people are THAT much different IRL.
 

miss fortune

not to be trusted
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
you just don't run across them as often in real life :dry:
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
you just don't run across them as often in real life :dry:

I dunno I've met some pretty nasty, uncouth people IRL. There's the old man in the grocery store where I worked in college shreiking at me that I'm going to go to hell on Easter eve because I happen to have a tattoo, or "mean boys" (and mean girls!) who appear to make a constant sport out of taunting or tormenting others psychologically.

I just presume those are the people on the Internet who are going around saying how much homosexuals deserve to die, or are trolling to the point that they're a bully.
 

Saslou

New member
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
4,910
MBTI Type
ESFJ
Is the anonymity of the internet a good excuse just to let your inner bitch run free? :huh:

Not necessarily a good excuse but if it helps people get rid of some anger/frustration then it could be seen as a positive step forward.

Personally though, on the 3 occasions (on here) i have let my inner bitch run riot, i've felt terrible for it.
 
H

Hate

Guest
it's the people who GENUINELY beleive that they are better just because of a letter that really confuse me... that's just so incredibly STUPID :doh:

Indeed, it's ridiculous. The saddest part is when they genuinely believe it. I think what they fail to realize most is that it has nothing to do with letters and more to do with ignorance/arrogance.
 

Atomic Fiend

New member
Joined
Nov 16, 2007
Messages
7,275
*looks in SH's window*

:peepwall:

*closes blinds*

To clarify that wouldn't mean I would be an asshole because I was anonymous, just that, yes many people will act more like assholes if they knew it was basically consequence free.
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
yes many people will act more like assholes if they knew it was basically consequence free.

Which is why some people feel so justified in treating you like shit IRL if they're an old-school Christian (they feel like they have the support of God and the community behind them) or why people act like such jackasses to employees in big corporate stores in the U.S. (the customer is always right.)

When many people feel there are no real consequences for bad behavior, they'll act however they please.

Is this human nature, or is this just "some people"? That's the real question.
 
T

ThatGirl

Guest
Only if you are an in the closet asshole.

Since most people IRL seek to avoid confrontation for a number of reasons, or are passive aggressive, you probably get a clearer view into the real insights of others on a forum. Which, despite what we would like to believe, isn't always sunshine and puppies.

Take this for instance, if someone gets snippy at me IRL, I am more likely to give them a dirty look and ignore them, since I HATE causing a public scene if unnecessary. Public bickering is trashy and makes everyone involved look retarded regardless of who started it. Here I am more likely to confront the comment, or make fun of it, if I am really in a mood, duke it out.

Other than that, the blunt things that I say happen here or irl, so in that case, no the forum doesn't change anything.
 

Jaguar

Active member
Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
20,647
I talk to people all day long.... lots and lots of random people... on top of that I have a rather large extended family. Despite all of these interactions though, I have NEVER run across as many people who are as contrary, disagreeable and likely to pass judgement on others for really dumb reasons as I manage to on this forum :rolli:

WTF?! Is the anonymity of the internet a good excuse just to let your inner bitch run free? :huh:

I think it stinks that many take out their RL problems on people in this forum. This is a place where some people can dump their rubbish on others without suffering the consequences as they would IRL. On the other hand, I think anonymity can help some shy people to express themselves in a positive manner who wouldn't otherwise take that step.
 

miss fortune

not to be trusted
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
yeah... it just kind of irks me that people will say things here that they'd NEVER say to my face in real life- usually in the process, displaying a remarkable amount of ignorance. Idiots irk me- and I say that all of the time in real life :laugh:

(this was my 14,000th post?!)
 

Jaguar

Active member
Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
20,647
Alex and I have discussed this topic many times.
I can't reveal what we said. :laugh:
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
I've seen people on-line who justify really, really obnoxious behavior by saying things like "well you can always walk away from your computer" even if you've asked them to do something like stop messaging you or stop writing on your wall...it's almost like they're admitting their behavior is bad, but it should be excused because you can turn your computer off. Thing is...if I have to turn off my computer because someone is harrassing me after I asked them to stop and they won't, and not simply because I chose to do so, isn't that still harrassment?

I've also seen cases on the Internet of people encouraging or bullying people to commit suicide, etc.

There's really, really awful shit that goes on on-line. But as I mentioned I think those people who repeatedly cross those kinds of lines with an aloof attitude of "so what?" probably aren't very nice people IRL, either

I might confront people or be more honest or even make nastier jokes on-line than I regularly do in my every day life, but I still realize that the people on the Internet ARE STILL HUMAN BEINGS and if they really are upset by me, like they're crying or something, I'm definitely not going to keep hurting them. That's just cruel, whether it's on-line or not, I don't like to make people cry, and in truth don't want to torment anyone. I just figure that strangers are more likely to ignore catty comments than people who actually care about me.

Plus, when I feel like I've been too mean recently, I try to balance it out with being more serious and kind. I can only go so far with my honesty and joking even on-line before I stop and think that I don't want to cross a line into actually hurting people.

Some people just don't have that line, and I think if they don't have it here, they don't have it anywhere.
 

miss fortune

not to be trusted
Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
20,589
Enneagram
827
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Most of the assholes on here wouldn't be that dumb to someone's face though... that's kind of my point- when normally wandering around society people realize that saying some shit is a bad idea and there could be consequences (i.e. me kicking them in the nuts) if they say certain things... I'm nice to people because I like to be nice, other people are nice because they don't want thier asses kicked... some people need that sort of reminder or threat. Here the only consequence is to be banned- and being an idiot doesn't always get people banned :(
 
Top