Recently I read an article in the Wall Street Journal, Why We Are So Rude Online and I found it very interesting. Basically what the article is saying was "Anonymity is a powerful force. Hiding behind a fake screen name makes us feel invincible, as well as invisible."
In general, we are perceived as being rude online. We tend to voice our opinions without having much to worry about how others' feel since we don't have to deal with their facial expressions. In a face-to-face conversation, we tend to gauge based on others' expressions and we would adjust accordingly. But facing the faceless computer, no way!
The article also mentioned hat people showed no mercy when come to Facebook, if they found themselves disagreeing with certain individuals or perhaps lost their coolness. They would just un-friend them. And that got carried over in their day to day relationships. Meaning, they are no longer in contact beyond Facebook.
I wondered in this social media world, we tend to be more opinionated and blunt. And that could be viewed as rude? And somehow, we have lost the most important key factor to be able to communicate clearly beyond face time. We don't know who is our viewers are. Our audiences here are much bigger than our normal face to face crowds. And when we posted something, and that something could be viewed by hundreds perhaps thousands of our connections. Some of them may not be able to digest what we said and that could lead to misunderstanding. When frictions happened in this social networking world, we are again back to square one, we can't gauge based on others' expressions and we would utter words that perhaps would offend someone and that could lead to slippery slopes onward. And perhaps that was why we are perceived as being so rude online ...
In any case, whatever we posted in our social networking sites, we are representing who we are and the worst of all, some servers out there are keeping the records. And yes, we are not invisible nor we are invincible.
Until next stop,
Journey of Life
I have found most people to be quite polite, actually, in spite of the fact that some of my blog postings could be considered controversial. And I don't have a whole slew of FaceBook friends, but I have unfriended a couple of people, one whom I felt at odds with and another who turned out to be philosophically completely different from myself. Otherwise, I've been having a whopping good experience on line and become acquainted with some really interesting people!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lorinda for your input. I am glad that we are still civilized even in the virtual world :-)
DeleteIndividuals are anonymous online. They are shielded behind a "mask" that allows them to no longer feel ashamed of their actions and words, for behind a mask they are without identity. Hence, the word, anonymous. The internet allows people to post their uncensored thoughts, just as Jack in Lord of the Flies, is able to influence the stranded boys to choose savagery over logic, appealing to their inner Id. When individuals no longer have to face the consequences of their actions their true malevolence is shown.
ReplyDeleteYes. If they hid their true identities behind the fictitious names.
DeleteI don't think people are inclined to be rude online. I do believe that sometimes a tone of an article can set people off and they build strong reactions to another bloggers opinion. It might be they are having a bad day and take an offense to heart. All of us have our passions and opinions it would be nice to share them in an open and rational dialog.
ReplyDeleteYes. Especially we are all adults. My rule of thumbs is if I got nothing better to say, I keep my mouth shut. I am following it in this virtual world as well.
DeleteI think that people are rude online mostly in forums where they use pseudonyms. I have not really come across too many instances of people being rude on FB.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear, C!
Deletefrankly, I think people have become just as rude in person. At least kids growing up in this generation. I know few of my children's peers who have an ounce of manners.
ReplyDeleteThat is what I am fearing ...
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