Why do some people talk with snark on the Internet? I find it immature.

[Forever]

@Coriolis congrats on bringing the thread from the dead; which is owned by the dead.

 

[Dreamer]

Will have to jump back in this thread when I have more time, but does anyone ever notice how people can sometimes turn into the rudest, reactive, impatient, hold grudges and chase someone down the road, etc. (or some lesser level of any of those) once they get behind the wheel? Same thing here in my mind. It all comes down to lack of personal interaction and that “human” interface. When you remove yourself from a situation or problem (speaking generally now) it's far easier to use a sledgehammer to address issues, with driving those “issues” are reacting to one’s emotions, than having or preferring to use a chisel to work around the nuances of social interaction, that give-and-play when interfacing with actual people.

 

[Peter Deadpan]

I am openly guilty of this. I use more restraint face to face. I'm also acutely aware of it and work toward being less of a dick.

 

[Snow as White]

I'm bumping this thread to share an article I ran across about the somewhat broader topic of people being "mean" (jerks, dicks, whatever) on the internet, when in RL they would be perfectly civil. Some highlights:









All of this suggests that ordinarily nice, peaceable folks can turn trollish online given the right circumstances, which is strongly dependent on the behavior of those they encounter online. This deterioration in behavior can similarly be mitigated by the actions of individuals working to deescalate situations, as well as by the algorithms of social media sites.

Thoughts?

Interesting article with interesting experiments. Especially liked the cooperative game wherein only a small piece was shown to each participant.

I was hoping for more in depth discussion in regards to how much human interaction depends on nonverbal cues. I've had some fun experiences with this when trying to communicate with someone else where neither of us has a language in common. Exaggerated facial expressions, a lot of laughing, body language, etc can convey a surprising breadth of communication between two people. So it makes me wonder how much of an effect removing this ability between people online has on their interactions. Culturally we get groomed towards a certain set of appropriate reactions and actions. Removing that piece out: does it release the floodgates of conditioning? All rules gone? Is it a window into how humans truly are, or merely a glimpse into why humans evolved beyond that into societies depending on each other?

I also wonder how much of this has to do with people who haven't learned how to cope with healthy destressing mechanisms in their lives. Wherein this is another unhealthy avenue like coming home to a six pack of beer and nachos for dinner night after night after night after

 

[Population: 1]

It’s simple for some. No direct consequences. It’s like society in general. A lot of people are only civilized because there are potential punishments for not being so. The moment anarchy ensues these same people are the ones raping your wife and killing you for a can of beans. Having a semblance of civility and actually being civil are two different things. Perhaps that’s a very harsh example but it’s the same formula: actions have consequences. The levels are not always proportional. I can say some pretty hurtful things online. I may be banned from a sight but if I’m a jerk ultimately what do I care? I’ve had my fun. It’s like I punched you in the face and all I get is tossed out of the bar, not dragged out back and have the snot pummeled out of me. The punishment can’t fit the crime.

How someone conducts themselves online says a lot about them. It’s like the saying pay attention to how someone treats those who aren’t deemed his equals. If I’m treating wait staff like shit because I don’t value them and can to some degree get away with it how would you judge me? I can be snarky, but it’s usually about a situation and not an individual. It becomes about individuals when I feel disrespected. When that occurs sarcasm goes from being a general tool of humor to a very sharp sword.

 

[Stigmata]

Personally, I think I'm pretty much the same as to how I conduct myself online in comparison to in-person, probably even coming across a bit nicer online simply because expressing "positive" sentiments doesn't come across nearly as awkward through text as it does when I do so in person.

Speaking objectively, it's easier to be more callous online as opposed to in-person because, as [MENTION=33707]Population: 1[/MENTION] mentioned, not only is there no direct consequences, but you also don't have to acknowledge the change in the person's facial expressions or body language after you've offended them.

Online you tend to disassociate those you're corresponding with from actual people with emotions, thus making it easier to deviate from one's typical conduct habits because you're viewing then moreso as an abstraction than a person.

 

[rav3n]

I'm just as sarcastic and snarky in person, as in cyberspace. But in meatspace, there are audio and visual cues that denote seriousness or not. Frankly, I'm not even aware sometimes when I'm being sarcastic/snarky.

 

[Jaguar]

I'm just as sarcastic and snarky in person, as in cyberspace. But in meatspace, there are audio and visual cues that denote seriousness or not. Frankly, I'm not even aware sometimes when I'm being sarcastic/snarky.

I walked on over to a different forum one day and I kid you not, there was a thread started just to shred extroverts. It was the equivalent of complaining about dogs. That bark.

 

[rav3n]

I walked on over to a different forum one day and I kid you not, there was a thread started just to shred extroverts. It was the equivalent of complaining about dogs. That bark.

Sure, you find extrovert hatred threads all over typology sites. That's life.

 

[Jaguar]

Sure, you find extrovert hatred threads all over typology sites. That's life.

My point wasn't extrovert hatred, it was complaining about someone or something for simply doing what it does naturally.

 

[rav3n]

My point wasn't extrovert hatred, it was complaining about someone or something for simply doing what it does naturally.

While I hear you, don't we all do that to some extent? I often feel like the guy in the clip.

 

[Mole]

We wear a social mask during the day and we suppress our viciousness, but ironically on social media our social mask slips revealing the nastiness underneath.

So social media is quite like therapy where the social mask is slowly and carefully removed revealing the psyche underneath and the first layer is usually vicious.

However unlike therapy social media does not remove the social mask forensically but all at once laying bare the first layer of viciousness underneath.

And unlike therapy social media rarely gets past the first vicious layer, and compounds it by meeting viciousness with viciousness, creating a flame.

 

[Jaguar]

While I hear you, don't we all do that to some extent?

No, actually. I don't bitch about the yogurt in my fridge being creamy.

 

[Mole]

Emotional abuse is a normal way of asserting control by authority. It is effective because humiliation is internalised by the victim and believed by the victim. And an advantage of control by humiliation is that it leaves no physical marks, and so can be plausibly denied or made light of. It works, and whole authoritarian institutions are based on control through personal humiliation. And as well the higher we go up the authoritarian hierarchy, the more our feelings are considered. So it keeps us in our place at the bottom, and encourages us to leave our humiliation behind by climbing the hierarchy.

It is a lovely system, coming to an end.